Alpine could ‘ditch Renault engines’ to become F1 customer team from 2026

• Team principal Bruno Famin has held talks with rival manufacturers
• Red Bull, Mercedes, Honda, Ferrari and Audi are other engine suppliers in 2026

Alpine could be set to drop its Formula One engine programme in favour of becoming a customer team from the 2026 season, according to Motorsport.com.

The Enstone-based outfit is currently a works outfit thanks to an engine supply from parent company Renault, but questions around the manufacturer’s commitment to the series have emerged following a disappointing start to this season.

Renault chief executive Luca de Meo ruled out any future sale, but reports suggest the French marque is assessing the efficacy of investing millions into an engine programme producing little in the way of results – especially with a new set of regulations in 2026 not guaranteeing an upturn in performance.

Alpine team principal Bruno Famin has reportedly already held talks with rival manufacturers to see what options are available to the outfit.

• The SkyPad, Martin Brundle interviews, and remote production: Inside Sky Sports’ award-winning F1 coverage
• Claire Williams exclusive interview: Why she misses F1, watching Williams from afar, and providing opportunities for women

If Alpine does opt to switch to a supply deal, the most logical option would be through the new power units being produced between Red Bull and Ford, which would avoid a clash with a rival manufacturer. However, it is unclear if the relationship between the two has been repaired since Renault supplied Red Bull in a tumultuous partnership.

It will also be the first season that Red Bull has produced its own engines, so it is unlikely the company will have the capabilities to supply a third team, in addition to its secondary RB team.

If this fails to come to fruition, then Mercedes would also be a potential solution. The German manufacturer has shown it can supply three customer teams and is losing Aston Martin to Honda from 2026.

The International Automobile Federation (FIA) has it written into the regulations that any team without a power unit must be supplied by a current engine manufacturer. If the Renault engine programme is terminated and the team is unable to agree a replacement deal, then the supply would likely fall to Honda under these regulations, as the Japanese manufacturer will supply just one team in 2026.

BlackBook says…

On the surface, it appears like a strange move to scale down Renault’s involvement in Formula One but remain attached to the series as a brand.

Yet, it is indicative of the modern era of Formula One. Arguably, the ‘formula’ of today is a display of world-class marketing, rather than manufacturing. After all, the best team on the grid – Red Bull – is a drinks brand, which will have one of the biggest car manufacturers in the world attached to its engines as a badging exercise.

Alpine may look to Alfa Romeo for inspiration, too. The Italian manufacturer sponsored the Sauber team and secured a Ferrari engine supply to give the impression of being a full manufacturer in Formula One. It may not have yielded much in the way of results, but the current popularity of the series is such that being on the grid is enough.

If the French manufacturer sees no clear way of improving the team’s results, then it makes sense to vastly reduce its investment for practically the same on-track result.