Alpine Executive Advisor Flavio Briatore has explained the Anglo-French Formula 1 team’s decision to scrap producing Renault engines in Viry-Chatillon.
The Enstone-based Alpine squad welcomed Briatore – who served as Team Principal during its stints as Benetton and Renault – back to the fold in June at the behest of Renault Group CEO Luca de Meo.
Briatore’s remit was to save costs and improve performance at the Alpine squad and together with de Meo the decision was taken to scrap the long-standing F1 engine production in Viry.
After several months of staff protests in Viry, with the workforce unwilling to give up on a 50-plus year institution of building F1 engines, Alpine confirmed in November it would become a Mercedes power unit customer for 2026 and beyond.
Asked by Auto Motor und Sport if Alpine would lose its French identity by switching to Mercedes power units, Briatore said “The French want to win. We don’t win with our engine. It’s as simple as that. If we want to win, we have to give up the areas in which we are not competitive.
“That’s one less problem for us to worry about in the future. Let’s concentrate on the car.”
Briatore is right in saying Renault’s F1 engines are uncompetitive.
Since the dawn of hybrid engine technology in 2014, Renault PUs have been consistently off of the pace of Ferrari and Mercedes at a significant expense.
Plus, Briatore adds that following Mercedes PU customer McLaren’s Constructors’ title win in 2024, nobody cared about the engine in the back of the car.
“McLaren becomes world champion with a Mercedes engine,” the Italian said. “How many times have you read or heard about McLaren-Mercedes becoming world champions? Never.
“Haas is Haas and not Haas-Ferrari.”
Briatore ‘doesn’t understand’ Alpine F1 sale speculation
With Alpine off-loading its Viry-based F1 engine production and Briatore drafted in to implement cost-cutting measures, speculation has naturally drifted in one direction.
Many have pondered, is Alpine up for sale?
In getting rid of Viry, the sole-remaining Enstone entity of the Alpine F1 project becomes far more suitable for a sale, but Briatore, like many connected to the team, has ruled this out.
The Italian finds the speculation confusing, admitting since he’s worked for Renault, they’ve always wanted to extract maximum return form as small an investment as possible.
“I don’t understand this speculation,” he said.
“Since I joined Renault, the same questions have always been asked. When we won the world championship title in 2005 and 2006, I was asked whether Renault wanted to stay in Formula 1.
“The truth is: I always got what I needed for the job from Renault.
“They appreciate that I am careful with their money. I believe in efficiency. That’s why I’m now saving money everywhere in the areas that don’t make my car faster.
“I don’t think about what I’ll be doing in five, 10 or 20 years’ time. I decide what’s important now.”
READ MORE – Alpine agrees Mercedes F1 power unit customer deal from 2026
