New Renault CEO will have no impact on Alpine F1 team’s future

Flavio Briatore has declared “everybody’s happy” at the Alpine Formula 1 outfit and a change of CEO at parent company Renault will not affect the project.

The Renault Group confirmed Francois Provost as its new CEO in July following the departure of Luca de Meo, who started the role in 2020.

But Alpine executive adviser Briatore reckons this will not affect the F1 team, which has been starved of success as the Enstone outfit has not won a championship since 2006.

It also caused controversy last year by ditching its in-house power unit project for 2026 to become a Mercedes customer team when the new technical regulations arrive. 

Briatore is still upbeat about his team’s future though, despite it also being bottom of the 2025 standings after 14 rounds. 

“The new CEO is very enthusiastic about the Formula 1 programme,” said Briatore, who led Renault to its championships in 2005 and 2006.

“Renault wants to stay in Formula 1. I believe Francois is in Monza [next week] for the first race. I know him very well and really, the programme is the same.

“The chairman, [Jean-Dominique] Senard, is very supportive of Formula 1. We need better results – this is what we need for next year. But this year is very complicated for us.

“We put a lot of effort into the 2026 car, like Toto [Wolff] said. But it’s not easy to interpret the rules. Maybe we made a mistake by not having any steps from the beginning of the season to now, and we pay for that.

“As well, in this moment, two or three tenths, it’s 10 or 15 cars. We know we have a big handicap with power, with the engine. We hope to forget this year and be happy in 2026. 

“That’s what we hope in this moment. I hope as well that the new chairman of Renault is very supportive and for the moment, in the Renault Group, there’s no drama, no change. Everybody’s happy.”

Provost is not the only change at the company though, as Alpine announced in July that F1 paddock veteran Steve Nielsen will join as managing director.

Steve Nielsen

Photo by: motosport.com

Nielsen was Renault’s sporting director when it won its championships in 2005-06, and follows the sudden departure of team principal Oliver Oakes in May.

“It’s good, I know Steve a long time,” added Briatore. “He was with me at the time of Renault and we need somebody like Steve, we need a team manager, we need somebody who knows the system, somebody who knows the people and somebody coordinating the team from A to Z.

“It is not only one one job I expect from Steve, I expect Steve to be in charge from A to Z – basically is what the managing director is doing.

“I’m happy to have Steve next week, I believe the first day is Monday and we have the first race with Steve in Monza.”