Alpine F1: Viry employees will be able to join a rival team without gardening leave period
The CEO of Renault, Luca de Meo, confirms that he will not retain the employees of Viry-Châtillon after abandoning the Alpine engine program, and announces the transformation of the site into the Alpine Hypertech technology center. Frédéric Vasseur, director of Ferrari, says he is already being approached by these engineers in search of new opportunities.
Renault has decided not to retain dissatisfied employees from the engine department of Viry-Châtillon who wish to leave for another Formula 1 team. The group’s CEO, Luca de Meo, expressed his regrets about the situation. In an interview with L’Équipe, he declared to be deeply sorry for the staff members frustrated by the abandonment of Alpine’s factory engine program.
Viry-Châtillon becomes Alpine Hypertech
De Meo explained that the Viry-Châtillon site would be reoriented into a technological center focused on innovation, named Alpine Hypertech. He ensures that employees wishing to stay will have the opportunity to keep their job, but in new functions adapted to the upcoming projects.
Read also: Luca de Meo justifies the stop of their F1 engine: “I cannot think like a fan”
« A F1 technology group will focus on the next engine regulation cycle after 2030. We are also working on other long-term projects, including a Supercar and innovative technologies. No positions will be cut – that’s a guarantee, he added.
Renault F1 engineers to Ferrari?
On his side, Frederic Vasseur, director of Scuderia Ferrari and former head of Renault in 2016, revealed that many employees of Renault F1 looking for a new position have already sent their CV to Maranello: It’s emotionally hard to see what is happening in Viry-Châtillon. Some of these people have been working there for 30 years and have contributed to many successes. It’s too bad it ends like this.
Although Vasseur is considering hiring these talents, de Meo has specified that he will not impose a “gardening” period on them (a period of time during which an employee leaves one team for another but is paid without working to avoid sharing sensitive information, editor’s note). « Those who are motivated by building a F1 engine will be able to easily reposition themselves », the Italian stated.
He also revealed that Vasseur had contacted him to ask if it was possible to recruit staff without a transition period. De Meo responded with humor: “Such is life. We will not hold onto our employees against their will.”
Also read: Employees of Alpine in Viry “regret” Renault engine abandonment
