Employees at Renault's Formula 1 engine facility in Viry-Chatillon have openly criticized the decision to discontinue the production of works engines for the Alpine team.
Under the new guidance of Flavio Briatore, Renault CEO Luca de Meo has opted to repurpose the Viry site and its 300 workers, planning a shift to using customer Mercedes engines from 2026 onwards.
In a release to selected media outlets, the Viry staff expressed their discontent, insisting that the 2026 F1 engine was "well born and already approaching the expected objective for the first race of 2026."
"The men and women of Viry-Chatillon cannot approve of Renault's final decision to stop the development program for F1 engines," the statement read further.
In their vehement protest, they singled out De Meo, accusing him of "betraying" Renault's "heritage and DNA by implanting a Mercedes heart in our Alpine."
Renault plans to redirect all Viry personnel to engage in advancing future-focused road car technologies. However, the workforce contends, "The skills of the staff in Viry are not geared towards these areas."
"The announcement of the end of the development and production of French power units for Formula 1 is nonsense. We cannot accept that Alpine and the Renault Group will damage their image, which is why we strongly urge Mr de Meo and his board to reverse this decision," the statement concluded emphatically.
