The Alpine F1 team, owned by Renault, has announced that it will switch to Mercedes engines starting in the 2026 season. This new agreement, which follows Renault’s decision to end its own engine program by 2025, will last until at least the end of 2030.
In addition to the Mercedes engines, Alpine will also use Mercedes-supplied gearboxes and rear suspension from 2026, though the team is considering designing these components in-house starting in 2027.
The switch comes as Alpine looks to improve its competitiveness after struggling for years to match its rivals with Renault’s engine. The move marks a shift in direction for Alpine, which has faced challenges in meeting its ambitions in Formula 1.
When Renault rejoined F1 as a team owner in 2016, it set a goal to be competing for world titles within five years. After rebranding to Alpine in 2021, the team revised its target, aiming to challenge for titles within the next 100 races.
Alpine F1 team has undergone significant changes since Laurent Rossi, the CEO who set ambitious goals for the team, was fired in 2023. His departure was followed by a wave of management shake-ups, with several key figures leaving the team.
In June 2023, Flavio Briatore, the former Renault F1 team boss, was brought in by Renault CEO Luca de Meo as an executive advisor to help restructure Alpine. Briatore quickly appointed British manager Oliver Oakes as the new team principal. Briatore also revealed that the team’s workforce at the Enstone base in Oxfordshire had been reduced by 300 people, dropping from 1,150 to 850 employees. This followed earlier statements he made during the Dutch Grand Prix, where he had claimed he didn’t want to cut jobs, but also noted that the team didn’t need so many staff members.
An Alpine spokesperson explained that the restructuring was part of an effort to optimize resources and create a more efficient organization to help the team improve performance and become more competitive. The goal of these changes is to set up Alpine for future success.
Despite a challenging start to the season, where Alpine was the slowest team on the grid, the team has made notable progress in recent months. A key strategic decision during the rain-soaked Sao Paulo Grand Prix on November 3 led to Alpine drivers Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly finishing second and third, respectively, behind race winner Max Verstappen. This result lifted Alpine from ninth to sixth in the Constructors’ Championship, potentially increasing the team’s prize money by about $30 million (£23.4 million) if they maintain this position until the season’s end.