Renault tease F1 comeback after shock engine axe in ‘Frankenstein’ F1 2026 verdict

Renault CEO Luca de Meo has left the door open to a potential future return to engine manufacturing in Formula 1, saying they are “keeping future regulations in mind.”

It was announced recently that Renault would be pulling its F1 2026 engine programme in favour of a customer power unit moving forward, a decision that was met with a “unanimous, unfavourable opinion” , in a statement issued by staff representatives.

Renault leave door ajar for future F1 regulations after abandoning 2026 plans

The F1 2026 power units will see a greater focus on electric power introduced to Formula 1, with a trebling of the electrical power generated compared to the current engines coupled with an internal combustion engine.

This switch has brought about the arrival of Audi as both a power unit manufacturer and a constructor from 2026, alongside keeping Honda in the sport with Aston Martin and Red Bull partnering with Ford for their own project.

Their change in approach will leave Alpine set to become power unit customers from 2026 onwards, with Mercedes talked about as potential partners, and the Renault CEO explained his belief that the regulations are an amalgamation of what each constructor was looking to get from Formula 1’s new era.

He confirmed, however, that the brand would keep an eye on future developments in Formula 1, but Renault will be turning its attention elsewhere at its Viry-Chatillon base.

More on the future of F1’s engines

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👉 ‘Tragic and frustrating’ – Your reaction to Renault ditching their F1 engine production

“I prefer to compare the new regulations to a kind of Frankenstein – a compromise between each manufacturer’s requirements,” De Meo told French publication L’Equipe .

“As a result, development costs have increased exponentially. We are keeping future engine regulations in mind, but also want to be able to focus on other projects.”

Renault staff representatives vehemently voiced their displeasure at the move to end their plans to run a factory power unit from the 2026 season, with a prototype having already been run on a test bench and the power unit reportedly hitting its internal targets.

Through this decision, however, they hope that the jobs of those involved will be protected at their engine site in France.

“All the staff representatives, representing the voice of the employees and a majority of the stakeholders, regret and deplore the decision to stop using F1 engines in 2026,” read a statement issued to PlanetF1.com.

“This choice has been endorsed by the [Renault] Group, which wishes to reduce the financial risk associated with F1, even though no serious study has been carried out to assess the impact on future sales and the prestige of the brand.

“Despite the turmoil of the last 2 months, the Viry team has continued to develop the power of the 2026 engine which Alpine is losing. This contrarian decision means that Alpine is missing out on its sporting history.

“For all these reasons, the employee representatives on the works council unanimously voted against the transformation project. We call on the public authorities to defend the long-term future of jobs at the Viry-Chatillon site.”

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