Renault CEO Vows to Fix Alpine F1 Team by 2026 Season
Jun.18 - Renault CEO Luca de Meo says it's critical that the Alpine team finally gets "things right" for the next regulations cycle beginning in 2026.
Wild rumours are currently doing the rounds suggesting the Enstone based team may actually be contemplating abandoning its 2026 engine project at Viry-Chatillon.
De Meo freely admits that Renault messed up its last major engine project.
"When we began the hybrid era, our engine didn't perform," he told Autocar, referring to 2014. "We had been world champions with Red Bull but with hybrid, things went wrong.
"Even the engine we developed in 2021 had a 0.2 to 0.5 second disadvantage every lap," de Meo added. "And this year we've screwed up with the car.
"If you combine everything, we're up to 1.5 seconds from where we need to be."
According to the latest speculation, Renault may simply scrap its 2026 engine project altogether, and revert to being a mere customer of another F1 manufacturer.
An early frontrunner could be former partner Red Bull's new Red Bull Powertrains-Ford engine project, while Mercedes may have the capacity to add a new customer given Aston Martin's move to Honda power from 2026.
De Meo continued: "For this year and 2025, we will try with the current setup, then push to get things right for the next cycle. That's the challenge.
"But we will do everything necessary to be a competitive team."
Meanwhile, both France's Auto Hebdo as well as Blick newspaper (Switzerland) believe Valtteri Bottas could be an option to replace departing Alpine driver Esteban Ocon next year.
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Renault would only have a team, which is a bit different than only being a PU supplier, but Alpine-Mercedes or Alpine-Honda seem plausible.
Oh its plausible but , didnt the boss say , Alpine exists to promote the Alpine brand, promoting it with a Honda or Merc PU, Really......!?!?
Thinking about it though , you might be right, I mean , theyll be the Aston-Martin-Honda, which for the purists is as bad as the Aston-Martin-Mercedes, the whole thing makes a bit of a mockery of the "Constructors" championship Imo, may aswell have a Engine Mfr Championship as well Imo
No different from Aston Martin-Mercedes, Aston Martin-Honda, Mclaren-Mercedes, Mclaren-Honda, or Mclaren-Renault, etc, which involve separate automotive brands in team-powertrain supplier combos.
thats my point AM is a car mfr who is the f1 side uses a merc engine , i mean how wrong is that, i think if they want to call it an aston martin, then it should have an Aston Engine, as for Mcl they've always used other engines,and never used there own engine in f1 so that situ is fine, where the mcl scenario falls down is the mcl road cars use what mcl call there own engine, which is good enough for the rd cars but not for f1? I just think it makes a mockery of the "constructors " when the engine is so important to the success of the car but heh thats my thoughts , its a purists thing.
Jam tomorrow eh
Not to mention AM’s with Ford mondeo floor pans I think.
Or small ford with AM grill.
CEO's all over the world are SUPPOSED to say stupid shit to reinforce brand interest and loyalty. Luc is no different. Problem is, what is he doing behind closed doors - what tone is he setting at the company. Management sets the tempo and the environment. Does he engage his direct reports and give them the budgets and the freedom to be inspired?
Or is he holding a gun to their heads, pulling back the hammer, and hissing "Get it right, or else".
Time will tell.
The answer, the team are to be ‘advised’ by the biggest rogue and convicted felon in the sport! Says it all really.
It was only Renault that could/would take Mr Brown Envelope, Now a Chinese firms involved with Renault, i suspect the Renault Engine maywell be branded Geely next year/26, to help facilitate Renaults embarrassment
Edit
to help facilitate the departure of Renaults embarrassing engine farce
No doubt their new advisor can advise where to install the engine software. Or perhaps this Lepord has changed his spots.