As it prepares to radically transform the Alpine brand, parent company Renault looks set to leave F1 as an engine manufacturer.

The French manufacturer, which never got to grips with the hybrid formula, despite being one of the main driving forces behind its introduction, continues to lose ground to its rivals, and has admitted that it sees no real prospect of remedying the situation when the new formula is introduced in 2026.

Consequently, in a bid to reduce costs there has been talk of Alpine finding an alternative supplier whilst Renault throws its resources behind other projects.

Asked about Alpine engine supply, team boss Bruno Famin, who is to quit the role over the summer break said: "The latest is that we have presented a project. In fact, the project is not the power unit. The project is much bigger than that. It's a transformation project at the level of the Alpine brand.

"The Alpine brand is developing, has a huge, huge project of development, with seven new models in the coming years with high-end technology. Very, very ambitious to build this new sporting brand and to make it known outside of France, everywhere in the world.

"The project, which has been presented at the beginning of the week to the staff representative in Viry-Chatillon, is to reallocate the resources from one side to another, one side being the development of the Formula 1 power unit, which is being made in Viry, to dedicate those resources and skills to developing new technologies for the brand, for the new product of the brand.

"One of the consequences of this project, if it's accepted, would be then for Alpine F1 team to buy a power unit instead of developing its own power unit. And then we'll have more resources to develop the brand and a different power unit to race for the Formula 1 team."

Asked to confirm whether this applies to 2025 or 2026 - though Renault is committed to continue in 2025 - he said: "The project which has been presented to the staff representative in Viry and to different governance bodies, is talking about '26 onwards on the power unit, clearly.

"Of course, we are talking to different PU manufacturers. And for the time being, of course, nothing is done because, again, it's a project.

"We cannot... We have to follow, you know, in France, unions, we have a social process, very strict to follow. And we have to follow it very strictly. And we cannot take any decision until having reached the end of that process. For that, I mean, we are talking to some PU manufacturers, but we cannot sign anything until this process is over.

"We are at a very specific crossroads where the project for developing the Alpine brand is now very concrete, very clear," he said. "We know the resources needed for developing it. On the other hand, we know that for the 2026 car generation in Formula 1, it's now that the chassis regulations have been published a few weeks ago. It's now that we have to decide, because again, the guy designing the chassis needs to know with which PU they are going to use. It's not why before, it's because now the question at the Alpine brand point of view is how do we use in the best possible way for developing the brand the resources we have."

Asked why, since Renault's return to the sport iin 2016, the project bhas failed so spectacularly, especially when compared to its previous successes, Famin said: "I think the story of this team is quite complex. Everybody knows it more or less. It's up and downs, stop and go. And I think it's very difficult to try to build something altogether like that.

"I think during the last year, I think we made quite a lot of good progress, trying to make this advantage, because I think it was an advantage to be able to do both, to make it work. But yeah, I think the reason is very complex and is located in the complex history of the team. But it has nothing to do with the project which has been presented to Viry people. I think it's really, a project in order to give even more chance for the Alpine brand to develop itself, to use the incredible skills we have in Viry. And I have no doubt that if this project is confirmed, Enstone will work well with any other PU manufacturer."

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