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Renault motorsport employees are set to go on strike this Friday in protest against the company’s plans to terminate its Formula 1 engine programme after the 2024 season. The strike, taking place at Renault’s motorsport base in Viry-Chatillon, near Paris, will see the “vast majority” of employees refusing to work.
In addition to the strike, a group of Renault staff will travel to the Italian Grand Prix at Monza, where they plan to stage a demonstration. The protest highlights growing unrest over Renault’s expected decision to cease its F1 engine operations and instead, from 2026, purchase engines from Mercedes for its Alpine team. This move is reportedly driven by cost-saving measures and the ongoing struggles of Renault’s engine, which has lagged in competitiveness since the introduction of hybrid engines in 2014.
Renault, which has been involved in F1 since 1977 and has won championships with teams such as Williams, Benetton, and Red Bull, plans to reassign the Viry-Chatillon employees to other motorsport projects. However, the decision has been met with strong opposition from the workforce, who lament the potential loss of nearly 50 years of history and 12 world championship titles as an engine manufacturer. The staff committee has expressed concerns that the decision threatens the international influence of French industrial excellence.
Alpine has stated that dialogue with employees remains important and that the transformation project is still under evaluation, with no final decision yet made by management. However, the planned six-hour strike, starting at 09:00 local time in France, and the demonstration at Monza indicate the seriousness of the employees’ concerns.
During the Italian Grand Prix, two groups of Renault staff will occupy different grandstands, displaying a banner with a “clear and non-aggressive message” advocating for the continuation of a French engine in F1. Trackside employees in the Alpine garage may also show their support by wearing black armbands, although no action will be taken to disrupt track operations.
