This is a historic moment for motorsport a bittersweet yet long-anticipated one. Renault, after nearly half a century in the F1 arena, is drawing the curtain on its engine programme.

Renault’s F1 journey began back in 1977 with the introduction of a turbocharged engine, a pioneering leap at the time. With only a brief hiatus, it’s been a constant player on the grid ever since.

Williams was the first to clinch the constructors' championship with Renault power in 1992, igniting a golden era that saw six consecutive titles. More success followed, notably as a works team in 2005 and 2006, and later as an engine supplier to Red Bull during their dominant run from 2010 to 2013.

A legacy like Renault’s is rare. With 12 championships, they sit second on the all-time constructors' list, only behind Ferrari’s towering 16 titles. Seven legendary drivers have taken Renault-powered cars to World Championship glory: Nigel Mansell, Alain Prost, Michael Schumacher, Damon Hill, Jacques Villeneuve, Fernando Alonso, and Sebastian Vettel.

But in recent years, Renault's magic has faded. Since the introduction of F1’s turbo-hybrid regulations, Renault’s engines have fallen behind the competition, consistently thought to be the least powerful on the grid. Meanwhile, its works team rebranded as Alpine in 2021 has dropped from a promising fourth-place finish that year to languishing in ninth in 2024, with just a few races left in the season.

As F1 prepares for a new wave of hybrid engines in 2026, Renault’s CEO, Luca de Meo, has seemingly concluded that Alpine would be in a stronger position and several hundred million euros better off by sourcing engines rather than building them in-house.

Rumour has it a supply deal with Mercedes is already in the pipeline. Renault has confirmed that its powertrain development will cease at the end of 2025.

But it's not all doom and gloom. The famous Viry-Chatillon engine department will transform into Alpine's new Hypertech division, a hub for innovation. From the World Endurance Championship and Formula E to Dakar and the development of cutting-edge battery technology, the team’s focus is shifting. Oh, and there’s talk of an Alpine supercar on the horizon. Intrigued? You can read more about that here...