Recent information suggests that there might be talks about selling the Alpine team but with a condition. Any new owner would need to agree to keep using Renault engines for some time.
The team hasn’t been doing well in the first four races of the 2024 season. They’re currently last in the constructors’ championship, tied with Sauber and Williams, but they seem to be struggling the most out of the three. Alpine isn’t just a customer team; it’s fully supported by car giant Renault.
Last year, the team leaders had high hopes, aiming to finish on the podium often and get closer to the top three teams – Red Bull, Ferrari, and Mercedes. But things have changed a lot since then. The CEO, team principal, and some key figures have left, and instead of moving forward, the team has moved backward.
Now, there’s talk about potential buyers interested in taking over the team, which is common in the business world when a company’s value drops.
Renault took back control of the Enstone facility in 2015 and started using the Alpine brand in 2021 to boost the image of their sports car brand. But being at the back of the pack isn’t good for selling cars. If the team doesn’t show improvement soon, they might consider offers from potential buyers more seriously.
However, one big issue is the future of the Renault engine division. It’s rumored that one condition of selling the team is that they must keep using Renault engines for a set number of seasons, possibly until 2029. This ensures that the engine engineers working on the new turbo hybrid power unit have a job.
But this condition might deter some potential buyers who want to use their own engines or engines from other manufacturers. Alpine has denied the rumors, stating that the team is not for sale.
