Alpine has signed an agreement to race with Mercedes Formula One power units from the start of the 2026 season after opting to close its factory engine program.
Alpine, which is owned by Renault, has raced as a factory team in F1 since 2016, producing its own power units to run in its cars.
But as part of a number of changes designed to lift the on-track fortunes of the team after slipping behind manufacturer rivals Ferrari, Mercedes and Honda in recent years, Renault announced at the end of September it would be shutting the power unit program.
The decision was met with pushback from many of the engine factory workers in Viry, France, which included a peaceful protest in the grandstands at the Italian Grand Prix in September.
It was widely anticipated to sign a deal to race with Mercedes power units, which has now been formally announced by the French team.
The agreement will see Alpine race with Mercedes power units, including the engine, for the next cycle of the regulations running from 2026 to 2030. The team will also be supplied Mercedes gearboxes from 2026.
F1 will introduce a new generation of power units in 2026 that will see the cars race with fully-sustainable fuels and increased electrical power.
Besides the Mercedes factory team, Mercedes-AMG High Performance Powertrains also supplies engines to McLaren, Aston Martin and Williams. Its agreement with Aston Martin will conclude at the end of 2025 when the team switches to a bespoke supply from Honda.
Alpine has undergone a number of major changes through 2024, including the appointment of a new team principal, Oliver Oakes, and the return of Flavio Briatore, its former managing director who oversaw Renault’s F1 title wins in 2005 and 2006, as an executive advisor.
The team had slumped as low as ninth in the constructors’ championship this year, only for a shock double podium finish in the Sao Paulo Grand Prix earlier this month to lift it up to sixth place.
Esteban Ocon crossed the line second, having led a handful of laps ahead of Max Verstappen before being overtaken after a safety car period, while teammate Pierre Gasly crossed the line in third place.
Should Alpine retain sixth in the championship ahead of RB and Haas in the final three races, it could land the team an extra $40million in prize money compared to finishing ninth.
Alpine said in the statement announcing the Mercedes deal that it “remains focused on performing in the strongest way possible in the 2024 and 2025 seasons.”
(Top photo: Toshifumi Kitamura / AFP)
