Where is the Future of Alpine?

Luca de Meo, who rebranded Renault into Alpine and sparked the “Renaulution,” is heading out to lead luxury giant Kering. That’s big. Under him, Renault turned heavy losses into a €4.26 billion operating profit, introduced hot new electric models, rebooted Alpine’s road car lineup, and made the F1 team its marketing hero. With him stepping away, Alpine feels like it’s standing at a crossroads, unsure which way to turn next. When de Meo took charge in 2020, Renault was deep in the red by about €7.3 billion during the pandemic. He cut costs, slimmed down the lineup, revived Alpine as a sporty sub-brand, and shook up the F1 operation. He dropped in a fresh plan, ditched engine production, which saved €250 million a year, and lined up Mercedes engines for 2026. He even sold a chunk of Alpine F1 and pushed the brand to go electric, which revived Renault. It was bold, and de Meo delivered.

Now he’s gone, and that rattles the ship. However, Flavio Briatore, the infamous former boss of Benetton and Renault, jumped back in as executive advisor and insists it’s all cool. “Nothing, absolutely nothing” will change at Alpine, even though the team is currently bottom of the standings, said Briatore. Briatore says they’re locked in on the next steps: switching to Mercedes engines in 2026 and aiming for race wins and a title push by 2027. His confidence is interesting, but so is the fact that he’s not full-time and has a bit of personal baggage. Keep in mind, he was banned from F1 after the 2008 “Crashgate” scandal, even though it was overturned later. There’s also talk inside Renault about who’s next at the helm, and that could be a big hint at Alpine’s future.  Denis Le Vot from Dacia is said to be the continuity pick, while Maxime Picat from Stellantis could bring serious shake-ups. Take the Renault board picking from de Meo’s team, and you get a steady road ahead. Pick someone else, and Alpine might see changes in budget, branding, and even driver line-up.

The board seems keen to keep Alpine on the grid. De Meo pointed out that Alpine’s brand value tripled thanks to F1, and it brings younger fans and global reach. He said it’s not up for sale, it’s a “family jewel”. The switch to outsourced engines is a smart financial move and keeps performance aspirations alive. So, where do things stand? Well, Alpine is at a major turning point. De Meo’s departure could be just a bump if Briatore and a trusted replacement keep the momentum. Or it could trigger real change, depending on who takes charge and how much backing the team gets. With Mercedes engines arriving and a timeline targeting wins by 2027, there’s a roadmap, but whether they follow it depends on leadership and investment. It’s a slim margin between revival and drifting. In F1 terms, it could all come down to who calls the next big decisions.