Italian Grand Prix: Renault F1 engine employees stage peaceful protest at Monza

Renault Formula One engine staff staged a peaceful protest at the Italian Grand Prix on Friday against the French carmaker’s reported plans to end production at the Viry-Chatillon facility near Paris.

A spokesman for the Social and Economic Council of Viry employees said some 80 per cent of factory staff held a strike from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. while 100 travelled by coach to Monza, near Milan.

The 334 employees at the Viry plant design and build the engines used by Renault-owned Alpine, the only F1 team using a French powertrain.

There was no immediate comment on the action from the carmaker.

Wearing black armbands and white T-shirts with the Alpine logo and the message #ViryOnTrack, employees displayed banners from two of the Monza grandstands in support of the French engines.

They were due to return to Paris after the day’s free practice sessions.

“Our aim is that (Renault chief executive) Luca de Meo hears us and changes his mind about the 2026 engine,” said the spokesman.

“There has been no action jeopardising the behaviour of the car on track. We are very proud of having the car on track and don’t want to do anything to harm that.”

He said Italian police had halted the group for checks on arrival but had then helped the employees find the right grandstands.

The Social and Economic Council last week issued a statement accusing Renault management of wanting to halt Viry’s activities and buy in Mercedes engines from 2026 to reduce direct costs from $120 million to $17 million.

It said a decision was due to be taken on September 30.

Renault have not commented on the reports but Mercedes F1 boss Toto Wolff said last month he expected Alpine to “take a decision soon on whether they want to continue with their Formula One engine programme or not”.

Renault’s current engine is less powerful than others and the former world champions are eighth of 10 in the standings after repeated changes of leadership.