Prohibited by its competitors, Alpine and Renault have stopped updating its engine

Alpine would have made the decision to remove several series of upgrades from its current engine. The proposed upgrades would not have been supported by rival teams, leading to the FIA closing an assessment of the situation.

The agreement heavily depended on the position of the opposing stables.

The regulation allows it

Around mid-season, the question of engine equalization had been submitted to the Formula 1 commission. The current legislation focuses on freezing power units. According to an analysis by the FIA, the Renault engine (used by Alpine) has a power difference of 20 to 33 horsepower compared to its rivals Ferrari, Mercedes, and Honda (Red Bull). These revelations were made through the publication of a press release after the F1 Commission meeting at the Belgian Grand Prix.

This approach has been consistent with the FIA’s verification process. The engine performance levels have been assessed in the first part of the season. These verifications were agreed upon following the F1 reform for 2022 and the new engine regulations. It is specified that the power units can be reworked and modified in order to avoid performance disparities being enshrined until the next reform, according to the FIA statement.

The FIA accepts the withdrawal of Alpine

Although the regulations allow teams, Alpine in this case, to benefit from upgrades to their engine, the teams must come to an agreement. This is what the FIA has called the “good faith agreement”. This particularity was discussed in 2021 while the final preparations for the reforms were being implemented. In the case of Alpine, there was no particular support from other teams.

In this context, the French team requested that the FIA end this procedure. Alpine is therefore stopping its initiative to consider changes to align itself with its rivals, from a motorization standpoint. The FIA accepted the French team’s request. Alpine prefers to save investments for the next legislation rather than the following two seasons.

Heading towards 2026

At the Qatar Grand Prix, Bruno Famin, who is currently serving as the interim director of Alpine, explained that they have made no progress in terms of equalizing the engine. He even added that the French team’s priority was to have a good power unit in 2026. The next reform of Formula 1 will take place this season. Therefore, teams will have to work on implementing a new engine and chassis, as the rules will be reset. 2026 will come with new standards for these engines. The regulations will focus more on the use of a more sustainable fuel and the increased use of electricity in the engines.

« Following discussions with the FIA regarding engine equalization, we, as a powertrain manufacturer, actively decided not to pursue the matter, taking note of the FIA’s positions and those of the other constructors », declared Bruno Famin in AutoSport. « Engine equalization was initially raised by the FIA during the F1 Commission meeting in July, after which we examined the options available to us and what performance upgrades could be made in accordance with the regulations and the informal agreement among the constructors. We quickly concluded that it was not worth our time and efforts. Furthermore, for such a small gain in performance, it would divert us from our efforts for 2026. »

Alpine will strive to enhance its development and performance in terms of reliability and aerodynamics, among other aspects.