Viry-Chatillon mayor Jean-Marie Vilain has condemned Renault for allegedly breaking its guarantees concerning the way forward for its former Components 1 engine manufacturing facility.
Renault ended its F1 energy unit programme on the conclusion of the 2025 marketing campaign because the world championship switched to a brand new engine components, with the Alpine staff taking Mercedes buyer standing below returning staff boss Flavio Briatore’s impetus.
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The choice made by now-former Renault CEO Luca de Meo was bitter for the a whole lot of staff on the Viry-Chatillon manufacturing facility, who unsuccessfully protested it.
Nevertheless, they discovered solace in plans to rebrand the location as ‘Hypertech Alpine’, with avenues corresponding to designing Alpine’s subsequent supercar, advancing battery and electrical expertise, and supporting WEC, Components E and rally-raid racing programmes – whereas maintaining a tally of F1.
Vilain has now revealed Renault, below new CEO Francois Provost, is scrapping these plans. An inside announcement is predicted on 12 February.
The Viry-Chatillon mayor, who has been in workplace since 2014 however just isn’t working in subsequent month’s mayoral election, printed a press launch that was given the next headline: “Lies and betrayal by the Renault group concerning the Alpine website in Viry-Chatillon.”
Aerial view of the Renault manufacturing facility at Viry-Châtillon
Picture by: Renault
In a video on social media, Vilain defined: “I simply discovered from these administrators themselves that these commitments received’t be fulfilled in any case.
“I’m as shocked as I’m upset with these guarantees being reneged on, which additionally reveals whole disrespect in direction of the workers.
“I’m subsequently urging the Renault group and its shareholder, the [French] state [which owns 15% of Renault], to overturn their resolution, and I reserve the precise to steer – alongside the Alpine staff and any elected officers prepared to hitch me – all potential actions to protest what I view as an actual betrayal.”
Alpine’s WEC programme has been rumoured to be scrapped past the 2026 season, which the model has neither confirmed nor denied.
Whether or not the Viry-Chatillon manufacturing facility could also be shut down altogether additionally stays to be seen. This may put a definitive finish to Renault’s superb legacy of 169 grand prix wins and 23 F1 world titles as an engine producer.
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