Luca de Meo Resigns as Renault CEO, Casting Uncertainty Over Alpine’s F1 Future

In a development that has caught much of the automotive and motorsport industry by surprise, Luca de Meo, Chief Executive Officer of Renault Group, has announced his resignation, effective July 15. The news marks the end of a five-year tenure defined by sweeping reforms, brand restructuring, and a renewed focus on electrification and profitability. De Meo cited a desire to “pursue new challenges,” leaving Renault at what he described as a “strategically future-ready” stage.

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Since assuming leadership of Renault in 2020, de Meo has led the group through a crucial period of transition. His “Renaulution” strategic plan shifted the company’s focus from volume-driven growth to value creation, aiming to strengthen the group’s financial stability while investing in next-generation mobility technologies. Under his guidance, the group reported improved operating margins and restructured its alliance with Nissan and Mitsubishi.

However, much of the recent attention has been on his handling of Renault’s motorsport division — particularly the rebranding of its Formula 1 team under the Alpine marque in 2021. The move was initially positioned as part of a broader strategy to elevate Alpine as a high-performance electric vehicle (EV) brand, capitalising on the global appeal of Formula 1. Yet, the racing outfit has struggled to deliver consistent on-track results, often finishing mid-pack and failing to challenge the sport’s leading teams.

The situation was compounded by repeated changes in Alpine’s senior leadership, including multiple team principal shifts and technical staff turnover, which many industry observers have cited as symptomatic of a lack of long-term strategic coherence. Despite early optimism, Alpine has failed to build a competitive platform since its rebrand.

Most notably, de Meo approved the discontinuation of Alpine’s in-house F1 power unit program by 2026, a decision that will see the team rely on customer engines from Mercedes — a significant pivot that drew mixed reactions. While some saw it as a pragmatic move to focus resources elsewhere, others interpreted it as a retreat from Alpine’s identity as a full-works constructor.

Adding to the controversy, de Meo brought back former Renault team principal Flavio Briatore as an executive consultant earlier this year. Briatore, a figure with a polarising legacy in F1, has a history marked by both championship success and the infamous “Crashgate” scandal of 2008. His appointment raised eyebrows within the paddock and among fans, suggesting a more aggressive — albeit risky — leadership strategy.

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With de Meo’s departure, speculation is intensifying around the future of the Alpine F1 team. Persistent rumours suggest the Enstone-based outfit could be put up for sale, as the company re-evaluates the long-term viability of its involvement in Formula 1. Such a move would follow a broader trend of OEMs reconsidering their motorsport investments amid growing pressure to redirect resources toward electrification and software development.

Renault has yet to name a successor. The transition comes at a critical time for the group, with its Ampere EV spin-off set to launch in the coming months and broader geopolitical and supply chain issues continuing to affect the global automotive industry.