Alpine Expected To Make Mercedes Engine Decision Imminently As Assessment Reaches Next Stage

Alpine is expected to make a decision on whether to switch to Mercedes engines for the 2026 season as Renault assesses the next stage of its engine development.

Oct 22, 2022; Austin, Texas, USA; BWT Alpine F1 Team driver Esteban Ocon (31) of Team France drives during qualifying for the U.S. Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Alpine's highly anticipated decision regarding its 2026 engine partner is expected to be finalized within the next month.

Renault had embarked on a rigorous journey to develop a power unit for the 2026 regulations. However, this ambitious project saw an unexpected halt, which was announced concurrently with the departure of former team principal Bruno Famin. Despite initial discontent and subsequent strikes by staff keen to continue their work, many engineers from Viry-Chatillon were redirected to other Alpine or Renault motorsport endeavors.

In light of this shift, Luca de Meo, Renault's CEO, hinted at the potentially transformative move to Mercedes-supplied powertrains for Alpine’s 2026 season. Nevertheless, he confirmed that the board has not reached a definitive conclusion. He commented, as reported by Motorsport:

"We have four or five weeks to define the situation in the board.

"We are analysing how to approach F1 from 2026 in order to be more competitive and we are evaluating every opportunity. 

"The idea of switching to Mercedes engines is on the table, but I can assure you that there is no choice done yet."

The decision-making process is heavily influenced by financial considerations. A shift to customer engines, as opposed to an in-house development program, promises substantial cost reductions.

"If we make a purely financial analysis of how much it costs to make a 2026 power unit in-house and how much you could save with a customer engine, the difference becomes enormous.

"So whoever looks at the numbers can only sense what may be the opportunity to go into the new F1 regulations with a more competitive but less expensive project.

"Having said that, I would add that the proposal is on the table, but there has been no decision by the board. This is one of the aspects that is being discussed with so many other important points on how we will approach F1 in the future.

"Here's where so many other factors come into play that will lead to a decision: what does marketing think? What would be the negative consequences of this choice vs a huge financial saving?

"This is the financial picture and it has to be cross-referenced with everything else. The ambition is to build a competitive project and so there are many factors involved in the choices that will have to be weighed up very carefully."

Importantly, Renault asserts its commitment to retaining the Alpine racing team despite continuous rumors of a potential sale of the team.

"We are not selling anything. At Viry-Chatillon there are capable and prepared people who are working not only on F1.

"We have started important innovative projects not only in motorsport, so we need to keep calm so that we can arrive at the best choices."