Luca De Meo & Flavio Briatore

Credits- IMAGO / PanoramiC

Alpine’s future in F1 has been uncertain for several months, with senior management staying silent until recently. Renault (their parent company) CEO Luca De Meo has now clarified their plans. He denied rumors of a sale and declared 2026 as the beginning of a new era for the team.

Reports surfaced that Alpine was considering shutting down its powertrains department. De Meo confirmed that discussions were ongoing and that a decision would be made within the next couple of months. “We are looking at how to manage the F1 department from 2026 onwards to be more competitive. And we are evaluating all opportunities,” he told Autosport.

Regarding Alpine’s sale, he said, “We are not going to sell anything. We have launched important innovative projects not only in motorsport, so we have to remain calm in order to reach the best decisions.”

At the same time, De Meo revealed that they had gotten an offer. It was still on the table, and the board had not yet made a final decision.

Earlier this year, when former Team Principal Flavio Briatore returned to Alpine, many speculated it was to facilitate the sale of the team. However, it could also have been to broker an engine deal with Mercedes – rumored to be their preferred power unit from 2026 onwards.

The Renault engines, which Alpine uses, have been the least powerful on the grid for over half a decade. With the 2026 regulation changes focusing on power units and the instability within their team, Alpine recognized that they could be spending millions of dollars without any guarantee of success.

Mercedes, on the other hand, has a reputation for producing the best engines on the grid. A deal with Mercedes could provide Alpine with a high-performance power unit while reducing their own cost of operations.

However, before De Meo, Renault, and Alpine can focus on 2026, they need to address several immediate issues. Improving on-track performance is one aspect, along with replacing several high-profile individuals, including Pat Fry and Otmar Szafnauer, who have departed in recent years.