Mercedes will be without Lewis Hamilton for the 2025 season, as they have replaced him with 17-year-old Andrea Kimi Antonelli. Alpine, meanwhile, is making a significant shift in their Formula 1 strategy by discontinuing their in-house power unit program in favor of becoming a customer team. This decision was confirmed by Renault CEO Luca de Meo, who indicated that Alpine will switch to Mercedes engines from 2026, aligning with the new regulations.
The change is expected to save Alpine money on engine development, and they will pay Mercedes approximately £15 million annually to use their power units. De Meo explained that Mercedes’ superior resources, such as advanced test benches and expertise in hybrid technology, influenced Alpine’s decision. Renault had considered pulling out of F1 entirely four years ago, but De Meo kept the team going, though he acknowledged that Alpine lacked the structure to compete in cutting-edge areas like battery chemistry and software management.
Alpine’s Viry-Chatillon factory will be transformed into an engineering center by the end of 2024, following protests over the closure of Renault’s engine project. This restructuring is aimed at maintaining a focus on high-tech innovation, while leaving the task of power unit development to Mercedes under Toto Wolff’s guidance.
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