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 at all times taken benefit of the very 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, workers on the Viry-Chatillon facility have accused the legendary French producer of placing cash earlier than custom and historical past.
“All workers representatives, representing the voice of workers and a majority of stakeholders, remorse and deplore the choice to cease F1 engines in 2026,” mentioned the Viry Social and Financial Committee (CSE) in a press release.
“This selection is endorsed by the group, which needs to cut back the monetary danger surrounding F1, although no severe examine has been carried out to evaluate the impression on future gross sales and the status of the model.
“Partnership options had been rejected by the group, although they might have made it doable to fulfill a number of aims: 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’ll proceed to control F1 with a view to a doable return. Nevertheless, the CSE warns that the decimation of workers will make this not possible.
“The historical past of the Viry website reveals that conflicting selections have typically been taken, and demonstrates the significance of sustaining extremely certified expertise for the longer term with a purpose to go away 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 top of the Alpine Mechanical Excellence Competitors, an apprenticeship programme backed by the federal government which promotes variety and alternative in motorsport.
Not least, the Viry workers 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 staff has continued to develop the ability of the 2026 engine that Alpine is depriving itself of,” mentioned the assertion because the CSE known as on public authorities to voice their concern over the sustainability of the long-lasting facility.
