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A new era will enter the Renault factory team in Formula 1, Alpine F1, in 2026: after three decades it will stop using its own engines from Viry, and will compete in GPs with Mercedes hybrid power units .
The Frenchman’s agreement with Mercedes High Performance Powertrains (HPP) for 2026 has been rumored for some time, and today it was confirmed by Alpine F1. This is a seismic change of course for Enstone’s team, who will now no longer have factory engines and will replace them with Mercedes customers.
This change is the biggest that Flavio Briatore has made so far, who he returned to the Enstone team this year in order to restore it to its glory days. This development was said to have been agreed in advance between Briatore and Renault group chief executive Luca de Meo.
Thus, a few weeks ago it was announced that the Renault F1 engine plant in Viry-Satillon, France, has ceased development of the Formula 1 power unit for 2026, and that the plant will be transformed into a future research and development center for new technologies of the Renault group – without any employee losing their job.
And now came the expected announcement that with the change to the 2026 technical regulations, Alpine F1 will use the power units of Mercedes – which, remember, will lose one of its partnerships, with Aston Martin F1 – which chose to continue with Honda from the same year.
Today’s announcement from the French also clarifies that together with the power units, the Alpine F1 will also use the gearboxes of the Mercedes F1, in order to have a better assimilation of the mechanical parts in its car.
According to Alpine F1’s announcement, “the multi-year agreement provides for the supply on its behalf Mercedes-Benz in Alpine with power units for the entire duration of the framework of the technical regulations, from 2026 to 2030. Together with the power unit, in Alpine gearboxes will also be provided from 2026”.
However, reliable sources say that Renault is considering building the Alpine F1 gearboxes again from 2027. Along with the Alpine, and of course the factory Mercedes F1, the Mercedes HPP power units will still (and after 2025 ) to be used by both McLaren and Williams.
In the context of these changes, Briatore told the Sky Italia channel that “This year we did a general cleaning and we will continue. We have just taken a big step of development, and this step is aimed at our improvement from 2025”.
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