Palace revolution at Renault

Here is news that no one was expecting. We thought Cyril Abiteboul was securely at the helm of Alpine as his scope had expanded from the F1 team to all commercial and competitive activities of Alpine, the team’s new name. In mid-December, when Jérôme Stoll was confirmed as president of Renault Sport, Cyril Abiteboul said, “Today, a new adventure begins with Alpine and the F1 team will be a major asset for the brand’s development.”

This new adventure will therefore take place without him since the Renault Group has announced his departure: « I thank the Renault Group for trusting me over these many years, particularly for the revival and reconstruction of the team since 2016. The solid foundations of the racing team and the entities in France and England built over these years, the strategic evolutions of the sport towards a more economically sustainable model, and more recently the Alpine project that provides renewed meaning and momentum, suggest a very promising trajectory. I thank Luca De Meo for involving me in the construction of the Alpine Business Unit and I sincerely wish the new structure the success it deserves. »

This departure comes at a crucial time for the organization as Alpine will not only be stepping into F1 but also in WEC, in the top category of LMP1, while its sales need to extend beyond the current mostly French market. Additionally, Renault is at the center of discussions to supply its engine to Red Bull and AlphaTauri since both teams are affected by Honda’s departure at the end of the season. The personal relations between Cyril Abiteboul and Christian Horner have been notoriously poor for years. The departure of one of them could be a decisive factor in reaching a new agreement.

The question now arises as to what Cyril Abiteboul’s next destination will be. Will he find a place within another team in the paddock, or will he have to look in other categories?