Workers at Renault’s Viry-Chatillon engine manufacturing facility have accused the corporate of shunning its heritage.
It is failure to familiarize yourself with the hybrid period apart, Renault does certainly have a wealthy, proud historical past within the sport even when it hasn’t all the time taken benefit of the actual fact.
Now, following official affirmation that Renault engines might be seen on the F1 grid for the final time in 2025, leaving Alpine to run Mercedes energy items, employees on the Viry-Chatillon facility have accused the legendary French producer of placing cash earlier than custom and historical past.
“All employees representatives, representing the voice of workers and a majority of stakeholders, remorse and deplore the choice to cease F1 engines in 2026,” stated the Viry Social and Financial Committee (CSE) in a press release.
“This alternative is endorsed by the group, which needs to scale back the monetary threat surrounding F1, though no severe examine has been carried out to evaluate the impression on future gross sales and the status of the model.
“Partnership options have been rejected by the group, though they might have made it attainable to fulfill a number of targets: sustaining F1 exercise, decreasing growth and working prices, sustaining all expertise, and the potential of bringing an already largely developed and promising RE26 engine to the 2026 season.”
In its assertion confirming the withdrawal Renault insisted that it’s going to proceed to regulate F1 with a view to a attainable return. Nevertheless, the CSE warns that the decimation of employees will make this unimaginable.
“The historical past of the Viry web site reveals that conflicting selections have typically been taken, and demonstrates the significance of sustaining extremely certified expertise for the longer term so as to depart the door open to a return to F1 when the laws and the monetary context of the shareholder make it extra enticing.
Apart from the plain job losses, the CSE warned of the tip of the Alpine Mechanical Excellence Competitors, an apprenticeship programme backed by the federal government which promotes range and alternative in motorsport.
Not least, the Viry employees are in disbelief that regardless of the exhausting work and funding, the 2026 engine undertaking is to be shelved.
“Regardless of the turmoil of the final two months, the Viry crew has continued to develop the ability of the 2026 engine that Alpine is depriving itself of,” stated the assertion because the CSE referred to as on public authorities to voice their concern over the sustainability of the long-lasting facility.
