Alpine to ditch Renault power from 2026

The Alpine team has officially confirmed its switch to Mercedes power from 2026 until “at least 2030”. Mercedes will also supply gearboxes. The 2025 season is thus set to be the final one in which the Renault power units created in Viry, France will compete in F1.

A Grand Prix Drivers’ Association open letter to FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem issued after the São Paulo Grand Prix is highly critical following the president’s campaign for drivers to cut out swearing on pain of heavy fines or other penalties. “There is a difference between swearing intended to insult others and more casual swearing,” the statement reads, “such as you might use to describe bad weather or indeed an inanimate object such as an F1 car or a driving situation. We urge the FIA president to consider his own tone and language when talking to our member drivers, or indeed about them, whether in a public forum or otherwise. Further, our members are adults and do not need to be given instructions via the media about matters as trivial as the wearing of jewellery and underpants. The GPDA has on countless occasions expressed its view that driver monetary fines are not appropriate… For the past three years we have called upon the FIA president to share details and strategy regarding how the FIA’s financial fines are allocated and where the funds are spent.”

F1 race director Niels Wittich (left) was fired with immediate effect shortly after the São Paulo Grand Prix for reasons undisclosed. He has been replaced by Rui Marques, formerly the F2/F3 race director.

The Monaco Grand Prix has been confirmed on the F1 racing calendar until 2031, safeguardng one the most famous races at a time when it has come under increasing pressure for a perceived lack of excitement. The 2025 grand prix will run in its traditional end of May slot but from 2026, it will move to the first full weekend in June each year.