PARIS (Reuters) – The Renault group formalized in a press release on Monday the end of internal production of engines for its Alpine Formula 1 team from 2026.

The Viry-Châtillon (Essonne) site will be transformed into a “center of excellence in engineering and high technology, from the end of 2024,” indicates Alpine in its press release.

“Viry’s F1 activities, excluding the development of a new engine, are maintained until the end of the 2025 season. Each employee affected by this transformation project will be offered a new position within Hypertech Alpine (the name of the new engineering center).”

“This transformation of the site will involve the reallocation of resources and skills currently working on the F1 engine.”

“Alpine has made the decision to create an F1 monitoring unit which will aim to maintain the knowledge and skills of employees in this sporting discipline, and to remain at the forefront of innovation, at the service of the various Hypertech Alpine projects. “, specified the Formula 1 team.

The French engine manufacturer began its history with the premier category in 1977.

At the beginning of July, Mercedes F1 boss Toto Wolff said he was “open” to supplying Formula 1 engines to Alpine from 2026 if the French manufacturer decided to no longer manufacture its own.

Last month, around a hundred employees from the Renault Alpine site in Viry-Châtillon (Essonne) traveled to Monza (Italy), to the Italian Formula 1 Grand Prix, to protest against Renault’s decision.

The Alpine team is ninth in the constructors’ standings this season in Formula 1 after 18 of the 24 Grands Prix on the program.

Next season, the two drivers will be Frenchman Pierre Gasly and Australian Jack Doohan.

(Written by Vincent Daheron, edited by Sophie Louet)

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