The head of Renault, Francois Provost, communicates that Alpine will “remain participating in Formula 1 for an extended duration,” marking his initial presence within the F1 area throughout the Italian Grand Prix.
Provost formally took over the Renault leadership position near the conclusion of July, taking over for the departing Luca de Meo. This shift further intensified the scrutiny on Renault’s future engagement with F1, subsequent to de Meo’s verdict to terminate the French OEM’s internal F1 engine initiative situated at Viry-Chatillon. Consequently, the Alpine-designated team will transition into a Mercedes client starting from 2026 onwards.
Provost assumed the leading position amidst a challenging period for the manufacturer, with Renault disclosing losses amounting to €11.2 billion across the initial semester of 2025, encompassing a 9.3b devaluation pertaining to its investment within the struggling Japanese entity, Nissan. Around mid-July, its stock values underwent a decline of up to 18% in response to an unanticipated profit caution.
Nonetheless, amidst persistent speculations concerning a potential acquisition of Alpine F1 throughout recent months, Provost, who observed his inaugural grand prix as Renault CEO at Monza the preceding week, formally affirmed the brand’s commitment to F1.
“The primary intent of my visit is to reiterate our ongoing commitment to Formula 1. Our engagement with Formula 1 will extend for a considerable period,” Provost conveyed to French broadcaster Canal+.
Provost underscored that the renewal of Alpine’s premier driver, Pierre Gasly, under a new contract extending until 2028 constitutes a pivotal stride toward fostering stability within the Enstone-based team. Concurrently, the team’s acknowledged leader, Flavio Briatore, has recruited Steve Nielsen, a longstanding associate, to assume the role of managing director, with Nielsen commencing his duties on 1 September.
Photo by: Jayce Illman / Getty Images
“That also signifies a highly encouraging indication,” he remarked concerning Gasly’s renewed arrangement. “We are embarking upon a novel phase, characterized by both performance enhancement and, fundamentally, enhanced stability. Pierre’s dedication effectively exemplifies this.
“Steve’s designation as managing director constitutes another commendable illustration. Consequently, as you can observe, we have realized considerable advancements.”
Alpine has encountered performance-related challenges throughout the current year, presently holding the lowest position within the constructors’ standings subsequent to an expedited cessation of in-season advancements, concentrating efforts on the regulatory revisions slated for 2026.
Gasly’s accumulation of 20 points represents less than half of the sum amassed by the subsequent best-performing team, Haas, while in the second vehicle, Franco Colapinto has yet to register any points following his succession of Jack Doohan, who also recorded no points.
Additional reporting by Ben Vinel and Fabien Gaillard
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