Official: Renault ends engine programme for 2026

[theriusDR3]

Renault will pull the plug on its Formula 1 engine operations ahead of the new rules era in 2026.

Renault Statement regarding 2025:

Formula 1 activities at Viry, excluding the development of a new engine, will continue until the end of the 2025 season,”

[Chuckjr]

Just sell the team to Andretti and be done with this nonsense already.
It would be incredibly good for F1 to have an American team.
Seriously.

[GrizzleBoy]

Makes you wonder about Ford/Audis chances though if an engine supplier that has been a part of F1 for as long as i can remember cant get it done.

[AMG.Tzan]

Utter idiots!

F1 was supposed to have 6 engine manufacturers for 2026 and now we’re down to 5! If you aren’t going to build an engine while having signed for it and played a role in these rules…then what’s the point of being in the sport?

If I was the FIA I would just give their place to Andretti…

[Big Tea]

Renault should bid to produce the engine for another series. They have an existing "works" with top level experience, and it would keep a motorsport connection with their name, and possibly leave the door open to return to F1 production at some time in the future

[zeph]

I for one am really sad to see Renault leave. Yes, I know Enstone is still in F1 but the writing is on the wall. This is just phase one of prepping the team for a sale.

Save for a short period in the late 80’s, Renault has been in F1 since 1979. They pioneered the turbo engine, dominated with Williams in the early 90’s, and I will always love how they ended the Schuey/Ferrari reign with Alonso’s double.

They will be missed, at least by me.

[Jambier]

Very sad...
And I think they will never come back.

I mean:
- Renault is already losing/Selling its knowledge and factory regarding ICE
- Alpine will only do EV
- Hence Alpine will fail (brand will disapear again) because selling only a little bit sportier Renault with the brand Alpine on them is going nowhere

So there is no really come back from that I'm afraid, best case scenario Viry will do WEC engines or something like this.

Regarding the F1 team: This is short term vision as always from management.
What they want to do:
- Have an F1 team for free. Just having the "Alpine" name on the car, with others owners
- Just buy an engine
- Just put enough money to have some podiums

Flavio himself said that target is podium in 2027.... for once, they are realistic in what they target / money they put

But as the Alpine brand will fail, I suppose they will not reverse this team to "Renault" brand and will simply sell it in 5-10 years

[Jambier]

Makes you wonder about Ford/Audis chances though if an engine supplier that has been a part of F1 for as long as i can remember cant get it done.

I don't think this is about performance or capabilities for 2026 engine (even if the location of Viry itself was an issue)

[toraabe]

Renault should bid to produce the engine for another series. They have an existing "works" with top level experience, and it would keep a motorsport connection with their name, and possibly leave the door open to return to F1 production at some time in the future

Mecachrome is building excellent engines for F3 and F2. Don't forget that. It's the same group of people.

[Greg Locock]

Renault staked a lot on the Turbo, and persevered with it and made it work. That is actual engineering. It takes cubic dollars, it also takes balls.

[AR3-GP]

Renault should bid to produce the engine for another series. They have an existing "works" with top level experience, and it would keep a motorsport connection with their name, and possibly leave the door open to return to F1 production at some time in the future

Probably the next gen LMP2 engine.

[JordanMugen]

Renault should bid to produce the engine for another series. They have an existing "works" with top level experience, and it would keep a motorsport connection with their name, and possibly leave the door open to return to F1 production at some time in the future

What series do you have in mind, Indycar?

Renault are too cheap to even make their own LMDh engine... (Not to say that Mecachrome and Renault Viry-Chatillion are not closely related.)

Mecachrome is building excellent engines for F3 and F2. Don't forget that. It's the same group of people.

The appropriate number of engine failures in a spec series like Formula Two should be almost zero, instead Mecachrome F2 engines fail routinely. I don't know if the rumours of >5 PS variance in F2 engines is true or not (allegedgly due to Mecachrome being too cheap to reject out-of-spec engines, where all Carrera Cup engines outside of the 5 PS tolerance are rejected), but if true that is also the opposite of excellence.

[JordanMugen]

I don't think this is about performance or capabilities for 2026 engine issue)

If so, why did Renault not have many willing customers for 2026?

If they were rumoured to have a extremely dominant 2026 engine, would not constructors like McLaren, Williams and indeed Alpine themselves be falling over themselves to sign up/continue with Renault power units?

Even without customers, Alpine F1 Team giving up a 50 PS advantage from dominant 2026 Renault power units seems foolish in the extreme.

Having a 50 PS advantage in 2026 due to Viry-Châtillon excellence would be very handy for Alpine-Renault surely?

[peewon]

I don't think this is about performance or capabilities for 2026 engine issue)

If so, why did Renault not have many willing customers for 2026?

If they were rumoured to have a extremely dominant 2026 engine, would not constructors like McLaren, Williams and indeed Alpine themselves be falling over themselves to sign up/continue with Renault power units?

Even without customers, Alpine F1 Team giving up a 50 PS advantage from dominant 2026 Renault power units seems foolish in the extreme.

Having a 50 PS advantage in 2026 due to Viry-Châtillon excellence would be very handy for Alpine-Renault surely?

Because they want to sell the team. Their board has never been interested in winning in F1. Its always only been about marketing to them. It eliminated a major cost center and extra 50hp does nothing on the balance sheet in the immediate future.

[zeph]

I think Carlos Ghosn was the executive who understood the value of the F1 team and supported it. It's been downhill ever since his departure.