F1: Alpine workers may protest at Italian Grand Prix

Alpine’s parent company Renault plans to stop developing and producing Formula 1 engines at the Viry-Châtillon plant, including the 2026 engine program. Alpine may switch from producing its own engines to relying on other suppliers. Rising engine development costs have forced Renault to rethink its F1 strategy. The company is considering buying engines from rivals such as Mercedes, but has yet to identify a supplier. The decision has upset factory employees, who feel their hard work has been overlooked. Progress on the 2026 Renault engine was reportedly going well, so the sudden stop was all the more surprising to employees and fans. Despite promises of transfers to other departments facing similar challenges, many employees feel the reassigned roles do not meet the expectations set.

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Alpine Racing France employees plan to hold a protest at the Monza circuit. About 100 employees will be divided into two groups in the stands, holding a banner calling for the retention of French engines in F1. They will wear white clothes with the Alpine logo and black armbands. Supporters in the garage will also use a unique logo, possibly an armband. CSE stressed that the protest should not interfere with Alpine’s activities on the track.

The team builds chassis in Enstone, England, and develops engines in Viry-Châtillon, France. As discussions continue over switching to Mercedes engines, Renault employees are planning to strike to oppose the change. However, Alpine insists no final decision has been made on the future of its French operations.

It is not clear if any jobs will be affected, but Alpine management is actively negotiating with power unit manufacturers, with Mercedes leading the talks.

The outcome of these negotiations will have a significant impact on Alpine’s future in F1 and the fate of its employees.

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