The Latest Breaking News from ViryChatillon

Renault's plan to scrap its Formula 1 engine department has been met with disdain by some of the workforce at the Viry-Chatillon factory located just outside of Paris.

Alpine expects to have a final decision on its 2026 engine partner in just under a month's time, as Renault's board presses on with its assessment of its Viry-Chatillon-based Formula 1 engine project.

Representatives of Renault’s Formula 1 engine staff at Viry-Chatillon have called for the French manufacturer to rethink plans for Alpine to become a Mercedes customer – suggesting the decision is a ‘betrayal.’

Leaving Formula 1’s 2024 Belgian Grand Prix, Mercedes was dealing with the joy of what turned out to be a win after all for long-time race leader Lewis Hamilton, but the hurt (and embarrassment) of losing George Russell’s on-the-road triumph after his one-stop gamble had seemingly paid off.

Despite no official confirmation about the end of Renault’s engine efforts in Formula 1, it has been clear for several weeks where things are heading.

A long-serving member of the team, White moved to the Enstone outfit in 2016 to head up the operations side of the squad having previously worked as the deputy managing director of engines for Renault's powertrain arm in Viry-Chatillon.

Famin took over as an interim team principal at the end of July after the departure of Otmar Szafnauer and long-time sporting manager Alan Permane.