F1 CEO slams 'ridiculous' team after huge announcement

Luca de Meo and Flavio Briatore at Alpine — Photo: © IMAGO

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F1 CEO slams 'ridiculous' team after huge announcement

Luca De Meo has hit out at Renault's F1 team, Alpine

Jay Winter

Sunday 6 October 2024 12:57

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Renault Group CEO Luca de Meo has delivered a scathing assessment of the company’s Formula 1 efforts, declaring that the team has 'become invisible' in the sport.

In a frank admission, de Meo explained why Renault’s Alpine F1 team will no longer produce its own engines after 2025, calling the decision a necessary step to avoid complete collapse.

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Speaking after Renault confirmed it would cease manufacturing Formula 1 power units, de Meo admitted the move was “heartbreaking” but essential for the team's survival.

“We’ve been in a downward spiral for three seasons now,” de Meo stated in an interview with L’Equipe.

“Two more years like this, and the project would completely collapse. We had to do something to make a change.”

Alpine are second-last in the F1 constructors' championship

Renault's struggles in Formula 1

Renault has a rich history in Formula 1, having powered Red Bull to four consecutive world titles from 2010 to 2013.

However, the team has struggled to replicate that success since the hybrid era began. De Meo, who took over as CEO of Renault Group in 2020, did not mince words when discussing the team’s recent performance.

“We are losing bonuses and sponsors because of our standings,” he said. “We look ridiculous with sixteenth and seventeenth places. We are nowhere.“

De Meo’s candid comments underline the growing frustration within Renault, which has seen its F1 programme fall far behind its rivals.

De Meo: ‘A Heartbreaking Decision’

The decision to stop producing Renault’s Formula 1 engines, which are made at the company’s Viry-Châtillon facility, marks the end of an era for the French manufacturer.

“It’s a very emotional subject for me,” de Meo said. “I am passionate about Formula 1, and this decision has not been taken lightly.”

The workers at Viry-Châtillon will be reassigned to other projects within Renault, but the end of engine production represents a major shift in strategy for the company.

De Meo also hinted that continuing as a works team would have jeopardised Alpine’s long-term prospects in the sport.

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“We needed to rethink the project to finally win,” he explained. “I am a manager of a listed company, and I have to make decisions that are best for the business.”

Renault’s exit from engine production raises questions about Alpine’s future in F1.

By becoming a customer team, Alpine may benefit from focusing on car development and working with an external engine supplier, especially with the sport set to undergo a major regulations overhaul in 2026.

De Meo is hopeful this strategy will allow the team to return to competitiveness.

While the decision to stop building engines may seem like a retreat, it could provide Alpine with the opportunity to refocus and reinvest in other areas to improve their on-track performance.

Time will tell if this gamble pays off, but for now, de Meo’s brutal honesty serves as a wake-up call for a team that has been languishing at the back of the grid.

Formula 1 Renault