Ferrari have benefited from Renault’s decision to shut down Alpine’s F1 engine division ahead of the 2026 regulation changes, but haven’t seen the results they hoped for since making the move to Maranello.
The Scuderia will be one of five engine suppliers in 2026, joining Mercedes, Honda, Audi and Red Bull Powertrains. Audi are set to make their full factory debut next year, while Honda will switch over to Aston Martin after leaving Red Bull.
Ferrari will also supply engines to Cadillac as General Motors joins the grid, continuing their relationship with Haas as well. On the other hand, Alpine will stop being a factory team and become a Mercedes customer in 2026.
Back in September 2024, Renault announced it would close its F1 engine division at Viry-Chatillon and not develop a power unit for the new regulations. Ferrari responded by bringing on board several members of Renault’s former staff.
Ferrari’s ex-Renault engineers believe Alpine’s 2026 engine is better
That’s according to a report from Formula1.it, which claims the new hires in Maranello from Alpine’s Renault F1 engine team haven’t been overly impressed with Ferrari’s progress on their 2026 unit so far. In fact, some have even outright dismissed the work they’ve seen.
A group of technicians who made the switch from Renault to Ferrari are reportedly concerned that the Scuderia’s early version of the 2026 engine hasn’t matched what Renault had shown in initial bench tests before shutting down its F1 engine department at Viry-Chatillon.
Renault may have decided to abandon development of its power unit well before the regulations take effect, but those who worked on it believe their early data looked more promising than what Ferrari has produced so far. The Scuderia will be counting on these new hires to help turn things around.
Ferrari’s 2026 engine deadline is fast approaching
Enrico Gualtieri, Ferrari’s power unit technical director, has full responsibility for the team’s 2026 engine. He’ll be looking to the hires from Renault’s former F1 operation to address any shortfalls compared to Alpine’s scrapped design.
Ferrari will have limited time to make any changes before they need to lock in the final design. Pre-season testing begins in late January at Barcelona, so there’s not much room left on the calendar for major overhauls.
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On the other side of the garage divide, Alpine are dealing with part shortages after Renault stepped back from engine production. The current Renault unit has already put Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto at a disadvantage this season, and it could force Alpine into strict mileage management before long.
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