Luca de Meo justifies the stopping of their F1 engine: “I cannot think like a fan”
The CEO of Renault, Luca de Meo, explained the reasons that led the company to withdraw from Formula 1. He mentioned the disappointing performances of the French team, but also budgetary concerns that could put Alpine in a perilous situation.
Renault’s CEO, Luca de Meo, recently spoke out to comment on the company’s decision to withdraw from Formula 1 after fifty years of participation. The automaker announced that the 2025 season would mark the end of its journey as an engine supplier, thus foregoing the development of the engine planned for 2026.
Disappointing performance
Luca de Meo did not mince his words in justifying this withdrawal, pointing the finger at Alpine’s poor performances, which is having one of its worst seasons in four years. Despite his efforts to build a competitive team, the results have not met his expectations: « Now, with our P16, P17, we look like clowns. We are nowhere. When we win, everyone will be behind us. I wanted to build a French team, the Ferrari of France. »
He nevertheless wanted to emphasize that the Renault engine was not the identity of Alpine: « Fans – except for true enthusiasts, I agree – and sponsors come for a team, not for an engine. Partners sign with McLaren, not with a Mercedes engine under the hood. »
According to him, the public has evolved and is now focusing more on the drivers and teams, rather than the engines.
Financial stakes
With Alpine currently ninth in the constructors’ championship, De Meo emphasized the team’s difficult financial situation, mentioning loss of bonuses and a lack of sponsors: « Alpine, given our ranking, is losing bonuses. Sponsors are scarce. We have a hole in the racket. My shareholders know how to count. Alpine needs to make money. »
He pointed out that despite his goal of creating a French team, local support was lacking: “I put two French drivers in the seats. They crashed into each other. Take a ride with me on the A524, there is not a single French sponsor. Not one! I knocked on many doors. In vain. Oh, except for Mobilize Financial Services, it’s ours, and E-Tech engines, they’re ours too.”
De Meo also emphasized that the marketing benefits of the team had disappeared, affecting the brand’s image: « We are paying to support our own team… That’s the story. So I am willing to drive all projects with a patriotic feeling, as I did with Fiat in Italy, with Seat and Cupra in Spain, but I cannot force souls.”
A painful decision
Luca de Meo described this decision as heart-wrenching, expressing his compassion towards the teams of Viry-Châtillon: “It’s a very emotional subject. I want to salute the commitment of the Viry-Châtillon teams, who, I am sure, will continue to demonstrate the same tenacity in future projects.”
However, he insisted on the need to rethink Renault’s approach in F1, to avoid getting stuck in a spiral of mediocrity: « There, we have become invisible. Two more years like this and the project would completely deflate. We have been declining for three seasons. It was necessary to shake all this up, with financial logic in parallel.
Despite the emotional weight of this decision, Luca de Meo remains convinced that it is the best choice to ensure the future of the company: « It’s heart-wrenching. This decision comes from months and months of observations. Unfortunately, in my job, I can’t think like a fan. I am a manager. I manage a publicly traded company. And I have to rethink the F1 project, to finally win. So, I am looking for shortcuts to achieve that. »
