Renault scraps sports plan, Alpine leaves WEC and Dacia leaves Dakar

Alpine confirms its exit from the World Endurance Championship once the 2026 season concludes. Philippe Krief, CEO of Alpine, explained that Alpine will concentrate all its resources on Formula 1 as its sole promotional platform, abandoning the rest of the Renault Group's motorsport programs.

Alpine's departure comes just five seasons after its debut in the Hypercar class of the WEC. During that period, the Alpine Endurance Team program, managed together with Signatech, achieved just one victory with its LMDh A424 prototype and finished the 2025 season in sixth position in the constructors' championship with 86 points, far behind the 245 points accumulated by champion Ferrari.

Photo By Maxime Lantz

Alpine becomes the third major manufacturer to leave the Hypercar category in less than two years. Lamborghini canceled its participation in 2025, citing regulation changes requiring teams to compete with two vehicles. Porsche will also not appear on the 2026 grid, opting to concentrate on IMSA and Formula E due to a drop in profits linked to the slowdown in electric vehicle sales.

The Hypercar category will face a significant turnover of manufacturers in the coming years. Genesis debuts on the 2026 grid, and Ford along with McLaren have confirmed their entry for 2027, which will maintain the number of manufacturers at similar levels despite recent departures.

Engine plant closure and switch to Mercedes

Alpine confirmed that its exit from the WEC has direct consequences for the Renault Group's infrastructure. The Viry-Châtillon plant, renamed Alpine Tech (formerly Hypertech Alpine), will lose its main function now that there will be no engine development for WEC and Alpine will use Mercedes power units in F1 from 2026.

The switch to Mercedes engines turns Alpine into a customer team rather than a manufacturer with its own technology, which means depending on a direct rival in the championship. The French team has fought in the lower-mid area of the grid in recent years and this change does not guarantee better results.

According to information from the mayor of Viry-Châtillon, Jean-Marie Vilain, approximately 350 people are at risk of losing their jobs. Renault promised the facility would remain operational and is now seeking to convert the plant into a technical services center for external projects, although it has not announced any specific client or contract for these activities.

Photo By Maxime Lantz

Dismantling of Luca de Meo's plan

Alpine's departure from the WEC is part of a radical shift in the Renault Group's sports strategy. François Provost, current president of the group, ordered a pause on initiatives started by his predecessor Luca de Meo, who had designed a comprehensive long-term sports program that included presence in multiple motorsport disciplines.

The same day Alpine confirmed its exit from the WEC, Dacia announced its withdrawal from rally-raids at the end of 2026. Dacia will close its program after the Dakar 2026, where it achieved victory with Nasser Al-Attiyah and fulfilled its main objective in the discipline. The two simultaneous announcements are part of a Renault corporate plan to drastically reduce its investment in motorsport and concentrate resources on its core business.

The pattern leading Porsche and Alpine out of the WEC is practically identical. Both manufacturers face drops in electric vehicle sales that force them to cut expenses in non-essential areas. Porsche canceled its Hypercar program due to financial problems linked to its EV sales. Alpine is doing the same now: Krief points out that electric vehicle sales are not growing at the expected rate, forcing Renault to cut motorsport programs.

The group's sports management is also undergoing a deep restructuring, with Bruno Famin, vice president of the sports area, and François Champod, deputy sports director, heading toward retirement without replacements having been announced on the horizon. This leadership vacuum reinforces the perception that Renault is completely rethinking its approach to motorsport.

Photo By Maxime Lantz

Farewell season

Alpine will complete the 2026 WEC season because it has already conducted pre-season testing, the budget is allocated, and the A424 prototype is on track, with the debut scheduled for March 28 in Qatar. The program ends with a modest balance: a single victory in five years and a sixth place in the 2025 constructors' championship.