« Lies and Betrayal »: Viry-Châtillon Mayor Accuses Renault of Breaking F1 Engine Site Promises
Jean-Marie Vilain threatens legal action as Renault reportedly reneges on commitments to transform historic F1 engine facility into engineering center of excellence
The mayor of Viry-Châtillon has launched a scathing attack on Renault Group, accusing the French automotive giant of « lies and betrayal » over the future of its historic Formula 1 engine facility .
Jean-Marie Vilain, who also serves as Regional Councillor of Île-de-France, issued a video statement and press release alleging that Renault is preparing to abandon commitments made when the company announced the closure of its F1 power unit program last year.
Broken Promises
The controversy centers on the Viry-Châtillon site, which has housed Renault’s F1 engine operations since the manufacturer’s debut in the 1977 turbo era. When Renault confirmed in September 2024 that it would cease F1 engine production at the facility after the 2025 season, management promised a transformative future for the 300-plus employees .
Under the « Hypertech Alpine » plan, Viry-Châtillon was slated to become a center of engineering excellence focusing on Alpine supercar development, battery technology, electric motors, and continued motorsport involvement through the World Endurance Championship (WEC) and World Rally-Raid Championship .
A monitoring committee, established under the authority of the Prefecture of Essonne, convened twice — on October 8, 2024, and March 5, 2025 — with Renault management, local officials, and the Prefect present to oversee this transition .
The Reversal
According to Vilain, the arrival of new Renault Group CEO François Provost in July 2025 — replacing Luca de Meo — has triggered a dramatic policy reversal.
« While we were seeking to reconvene this monitoring committee to take stock of the situation following the arrival at the end of July 2025 of Renault’s new chief executive, François Provost, after the departure of Luca de Meo, I was astonished to learn that Renault was reneging on its commitments regarding the Alpine site, » Vilain stated .
The mayor indicated that an official announcement is scheduled for February 12, 2026, at a Social and Economic Committee meeting — just two days from now.
« This is nothing short of scandalous, as it disregards all the commitments that had been made and reiterated to both the town and employees during the two previous monitoring committees, » Vilain declared .
From Betrayal to Legal Action
Vilain’s statement carries the weight of a community facing economic devastation. The Viry-Châtillon facility has been the beating heart of French motorsport engineering for nearly five decades, producing power units that secured 12 Constructors’ Championships and 11 Drivers’ Championships for teams including Williams, Benetton, and Red Bull .
The mayor closed his statement with a clear threat of escalation: « I reserve the right to pursue all possible actions against this betrayal, together with municipal elected officials and Alpine employees, so that the Alpine site at Viry-Châtillon remains the centre of excellence it has always been, continuing to contribute to the pride of our town and the prestige of our country » .
Alpine’s Non-Denial
When contacted for comment by RACER, an Alpine spokesperson offered a carefully worded response that neither confirmed nor denied Vilain’s allegations: « As of today, we cannot confirm or infirm the position of the Mayor of Viry-Châtillon. We have ongoing reflections which we will first share with the unions » .
The ambiguous statement suggests significant internal deliberations are underway, with the February 12 meeting likely to prove decisive for the facility’s future.
A History of Discord
This is not the first time Viry-Châtillon staff have accused Renault of betrayal. When the F1 engine closure was initially announced in August 2024, employees issued a statement condemning the decision as a betrayal of the site’s « legend and its DNA, » particularly the plan to install a « Mercedes heart » into Alpine F1 cars .
Staff representatives highlighted that the 2026 F1 engine (designated RE26A) had already achieved promising test results, exceeding 400kW output with 48% thermal efficiency and no major reliability issues — performance they claimed matched or exceeded Mercedes’ benchmark .
Union representative Karine Dubreucq described the original closure announcement as « a stab in the back, » while staff noted that their specialized skills in high-performance combustion engines had little relevance to Renault’s stated pivot toward battery chemistry and software-defined vehicles .
The Stakes
The threatened reversal comes at a critical juncture for Alpine’s motorsport portfolio. The company is currently campaigning an A424 LMDh prototype in the FIA World Endurance Championship, with the season opener in Qatar approaching rapidly .
If Renault proceeds with further downsizing at Viry-Châtillon, it would represent not merely a corporate restructuring but the dismantling of one of Formula 1’s most storied engineering institutions — and a significant blow to France’s high-performance motorsport capabilities.
For a community that has spent decades at the forefront of racing innovation, Thursday’s announcement may determine whether Viry-Châtillon retains its status as a center of excellence or becomes another casualty of automotive industry consolidation.
Sources
- RACER: « Viry-Châtillon mayor hits out at Renault amid Alpine WEC exit speculation » (February 9, 2026)
- Motorsport.com: « Renault slammed for ‘lies and betrayal’ as F1 site’s future looks bleak » (February 10, 2026)
- NewsOnF1: « Renault accused of betraying Viry F1 promises » (February 9, 2026)
- AutoRacing1: « Mayor Vilain accuses Renault of betraying Viry F1 promise » (February 9, 2026)
- BlackBook Motorsport: « Alpine to shut down F1 engine programme at end of 2025 » (October 1, 2024)
- ESPN: « Renault to stop making F1 engines after 2025 season » (September 30, 2024)
- RacingNews365: « Renault finally reach decision over F1 engine programme » (September 30, 2024)
- Motorsport.com: « Renault engine staff call for rethink over F1 engine ‘betrayal' » (August 23, 2024)
- PlanetF1: « Renault engine staff slam Alpine ‘betrayal’ as F1 engine withdrawal looms » (August 3, 2024)
- GrandPrix.com: « Staff lash out at axed Renault F1 engine program » (August 24, 2024)