The Alpine F1 Team has had an abysmal 2024 season, and now Renault CEO Luca De Meo has publicly slammed the team’s performance, stating bluntly that the squad has been reduced to a laughing stock. Currently languishing in ninth place in the Constructors’ Championship, Alpine has struggled with an overweight car and inconsistent results, leaving fans and stakeholders frustrated.
De Meo didn’t mince words when addressing the crisis within the team, comparing their efforts to that of “jokers” as they fight just to finish in the points. Despite boasting a Renault works power unit, the team has consistently found itself stuck in P16 and P17—a far cry from where a team of Alpine’s stature should be.
Bringing in the controversial figure Flavio Briatore, known for his role in the Crashgate scandal, as an Executive Advisor was one of De Meo’s moves to shake things up at Alpine. But even that hasn’t stemmed the tide of poor performances. With the team shutting down its Renault engine program after 2025, De Meo has made it clear that the focus is no longer on the engine, but on making Alpine a profitable and competitive brand.
“We support a driver, a color, a brand. Not an engine,” De Meo stated, underlining how the relevance of the team has eroded. Alpine’s inability to attract sponsors due to its underwhelming results has only made matters worse, leaving shareholders concerned about the bottom line. “Alpine, given our ranking, is losing bonuses. Sponsors are rare. We have a hole in the air. My shareholders know how to count. Alpine has to make money,” De Meo added.
Perhaps the most stinging remark from the Renault CEO was his assertion that Alpine’s results have not only been embarrassing but have erased any marketing returns the brand could have once enjoyed from being in Formula 1. “With our P16, P17, we look like jokers. We are nowhere,” he said. “The famous ‘marketing returns’ have vanished. Even though they are not quantifiable in money.”
Renault’s decision to end its F1 engine program has not gone down well with the factory workers at Viry-Châtillon, who feel the emotional weight of the company’s retreat from the sport after decades of involvement. De Meo acknowledged this, admitting that it took months to reach this decision. However, he reassured that employees from the factory will be relocated to other projects.
Alpine is rumored to be eyeing a deal with Mercedes for its power units starting in 2026, which could help ease the financial strain and provide the team with a more competitive engine. Yet, with six races left in the season, the immediate future looks bleak for Alpine, and only time will tell whether the team can salvage anything from this disastrous year.
Renault’s fall from grace is now in the spotlight, and De Meo has made it clear: Alpine’s F1 survival depends on real results, not excuses.
