Alpine have officially announced they will use Mercedes power units when Formula 1 introduces its new engine regulations in 2026.
Renault, which owns the Alpine brand, confirmed in September they will cease production of their own F1 power units at the end of next year.Workers at their Viry-Chatillon base opposed the decision not to produce a power unit for F1’s forthcoming rules. However the company’s management has chosen to use the facility for other projects.
Alpine will take over the supply of Mercedes customer engines which Aston Martin has chosen to relinquish at the end of 2025. Aston Martin has secured a works engine deal with Honda for 2026.
“BWT Alpine Formula One Team, Mercedes-AMG High Performance Powertrains and Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix have entered into power unit and gearbox agreements from the start of the 2026 FIA Formula One World Championship,” said Alpine in a statement.
“The multi-year agreement will see Mercedes-Benz supply BWT Alpine Formula One Team with power units for the duration of the new regulation era, from 2026 until at least 2030. Alongside the power unit, BWT Alpine Formula One Team will also be supplied with Mercedes gearboxes from the 2026 season.
“The team remains focused on performing in the strongest way possible in the 2024 and 2025 seasons.”
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Alpine’s transition to a Mercedes customer team means Renault’s F1 presence has undergone a total change in the 10 years since the current V6 hybrid turbo power unit regulations were introduced.
Renault supplied power units to four teams in 2014. They included their former works team, branded Lotus, reigning world champions Red Bull and their second team Toro Rosso (now RB), and Caterham. In 2016 Renault revived its works F1 team, which it rebranded as Alpine in 2021.
The team previously used Mercedes engines for one season, in 2015, their final season as Lotus.
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bernasaurus (@bernasaurus)
12th November 2024, 12:20
As things sit today, the engines have now largely homogenised, yes nobody is desperate for a Renault engine supply, but it’s not the thing that is holding Alpine back, it’s the many poor recruitment decisions, bureaucracy, scandals and lack of investment elsewhere in the company.
Back when Seb won in 2010, if different people had made better choices (not always Renualt people mind) over the last 14 years, they could have an in house engine department (the envy of any F1 team ever) and a factory that has won.
Instead they’re shutting down the thing Red Bull, McLaren have long dreamed of and Aston has sorted of attained, to focus on the thing they always get wrong. It might save money right now, but if the team is really for sale, I think they’ve given away a very valuable asset. Probably in another management faux pas.
pcxmac (@pcxmac)
12th November 2024, 12:48
you missed last week’s race then. and are ignoring what the drivers are saying.
Roy Beedrill
13th November 2024, 17:24
Selling the England-based Team Enstone has little to do with the power unit factory at Viry-Châtillon, France. There is also no point for Renault to stay as an engine manufacturer only, considering the number of their customers.
MichaelN
12th November 2024, 12:32
Not good to see the enormous sway Mercedes will now have over nearly half the grid.
pcxmac (@pcxmac)
12th November 2024, 12:49
merc will become the next renault.
pcxmac (@pcxmac)
12th November 2024, 12:50
it will be beautiful to see karma spank toto and his branding in the face.
anon
12th November 2024, 13:43
Considering that far more informative posts are removed from this site, it has to be asked why trash posting like this that sets out to cause trouble is so tolerated.
Perhaps we should ask if the official position of this site is to now act as a platform for conspiracy theories and malicious posting, and whether it is now their position to promote and encourage libellous posting such as this?
Esploratore (@esploratore1)
12th November 2024, 18:46
Which kind of informative posts have been removed, and why?
The only posts I’ve seen being removed so far were talking about crimes, to not repeat the same mistake said people made.
hunocsi (@hunocsi)
12th November 2024, 17:15
They will supply the same number of teams as they have in 8 of the past 11 seasons.
SteveP
12th November 2024, 17:48
@hunocsi Looks like you’re the only one with their brain turned on at present.
Wait a while and they will wake up.
BasCB (@bascb)
12th November 2024, 13:06
Surely it is now only a matter of time before they announce the team was sold to a combination of venture capitalists and petro-autocratic state funds, right (or Andretti sans Andretti in the end)?
Crawliin-from-the-wreckage- Special Unhinged Edition (@davedai)
12th November 2024, 13:13
My money is on Hitech
Adrian Hancox (@ahxshades)
12th November 2024, 13:14
And that is why Cheatio Briatore is there – to maximize the profit in that sale.
BasCB (@bascb)
12th November 2024, 15:52
yep
MichaelN
12th November 2024, 14:49
Indeed, it’s one of the few reasons a lot of the moves at this team might, in retrospect, make sense.
Matthijs (@matthijs)
12th November 2024, 13:09
So we have renowed sports car builders Aston Martin, McLaren and Alpine, all powered by a Mercedes. It’s like a Ferrari powered by an Alfa Romeo! Oh wait…
Adam (@rocketpanda)
12th November 2024, 14:03
I still think this is a short-sighted and dumb thing to do. Throwing away the history of the Renault PU is one thing but giving up the advantage of having your own fully integrated PU is bizarre – it’s something that so many teams have coveted and you’re giving up an independent advantage to become a customer? But also as an advertising thing it’s insane – why would you buy an Alpine sportscar if even Alpine itself would rather have a different engine?
MichaelN
12th November 2024, 14:51
It makes sense if this is just one step on the “Renault leaves F1” story. This is positioning Enstone for a sale.
Far better to own a team with an engine, than one without. Andretti found that out a bit too late.
SteveP
12th November 2024, 21:31
I think that’s more a case of rushing in before the PU is ready and assuming a spare PU would magically appear.
Targetting a grid appearance when the Cadillac PU is supposed to be available would have been way more sensible.
I’m assuming here that GM are continuing the development and the “Andretti/Cadillac” bid will re-appear when the whole package is complete.
MarkWebber (@markwebber)
12th November 2024, 15:09
It’s absurd how Renault was one of the main advocates for the V6 hybrids, didn’t anyone in the company realize how ridiculously expensive it would be to develop a competitive engine? Carlos Ghosn is a smart person but it’s clear he was badly advised in his final years at Renault
Jere (@jerejj)
12th November 2024, 16:26
Unsurprising as Mercedes always seemed the most likely resort, although I wished for Honda the most, but oh well, they were only among the last-resort options in extreme scenarios, considering Aston Martin is their intended exclusivity partner for at least 2026.
Coventry Climax
12th November 2024, 17:05
As of ’26: Will they have the German anthem played, should they ocasionally reach the podium?
hunocsi (@hunocsi)
12th November 2024, 17:15
Yes, same as McLaren.
Maisch (@maisch)
12th November 2024, 17:14
Merceds cars uses Renault engines, so some kind of weird payback maybe? :)
Jon
12th November 2024, 17:15
The Americans are turning it in to indy car.
banirashid
13th November 2024, 20:12
Time will tell