Amid growing unrest at Renault Group CEO Luca de Meo’s decision to abandon Formula 1 engine production at Viry-Chatillon, staff from the French facility are planning a peaceful protest during the Italian Grand Prix at Monza.
Alpine plans to reinvent its Anglo-French operation, ceasing production of Formula 1 power units at Viry, a decades-long project, to become a Mercedes customer team in 2026.
That has been met with stern opposition from the Social and Economic Council (CSE) of Alpine employees, who wrote in a statement during the Dutch GP weekend at Zandvoort “We do not understand what justifies killing this elite entity that is the Viry-Chatillon site and betraying its legend and its DNA by grafting a Mercedes heart into our F1 Alpine [car].
“The announcement of the end of the development and production of French power units for Formula 1 is incomprehensible. We cannot accept that Alpine and the Renault Group damage their images, which is why we ask Mr. De Meo and his board of directors to renounce this decision.”
With discontent growing amongst staff at Viry, the CSE is planning to make a statement with a physical presence at Monza.
The CSE revealed in a press release obtained by French publication L’Equipe that “a clear and non-aggressive message advocating for the continuation of a French engine in F1” will take place in Italy.
That “non-aggressive” message will be conveyed through allegedly 100 staff members at Monza, split into two groups.
“Each group will display a banner with a clear and non-aggressive message, pleading the cause of maintaining a French engine in F1, all will be wearing a white T-shirt with the Alpine logo, the message #ViryOnTrack and a black armband,” a CSE statement read.
“No action will prevent track operations from taking place.”
In addition to the planned protest at Monza, a significant portion of staff at Viry-Chatillon will go on strike during the Italian GP weekend to express their dissatisfaction.
Alpine’s decision to switch from producing its own F1 power unit to becoming a customer team is set to save the team in the region of $100 million a year.
Moreover, despite Viry’s near half-century of F1 engine manufacturing experience, output during the hybrid era of the sport (2014 to present) has wrought underperforming power units.
Speaking on the matter at Monza on Thursday, Esteban Ocon said (via Autosport) that “People want to talk, obviously, which is completely normal and I hope that there will be some conversations between the [relevant] parties.”
Pierre Gasly noted how “I have absolutely no power or control over that situation. It’s a team and top management topic.”
“So from this point of view, I’m focusing on my race, and the best thing I can do to every employee of the team is perform the best way I can on the track.
“To give them the rewards of all the hard work that every single employee is doing. That’s my role in the team and that’s what I’ll focus on.”
“I understand all parties. At the end of the day, hopefully everyone will come out of it with a good option.”
