Renault almost disappeared from F1: 'Didn't want to bury 44 years of F1 history'
F1 News
- GPblog.com
The name Renault disappeared from Formula 1 as a constructor and Alpine F1 Team came in its place. For a short while it looked like the team would leave Formula 1 completely, but Luca de Meo didn't want to end it.
Alpine almost didn't make it
2020 could easily have been Renault's very last season in Formula 1. When Luca de Meo took office, the company already had plans to quit the expensive sport. Financially Renault had a hard time and it went so far that the name Alpine could disappear completely.
However, de Meo did not want this. "I didn't want to be the guy who buries 44 years of Formula 1 history", he revealed to Auto, Motor und Sport. It was not an easy decision, as de Meo wanted to make sure there was a good business model behind the plan.
Alpine can use a push
Alpine has been the lesser known sports brand of Renault for years. The purists may know the name from rallying, where Alpine used to be active with the Alpine A110. The French brand also competes in the WEC. Through Formula 1, Alpine wants to create more awareness among new fans. "I see Alpine as a combination of a Mini Ferrari and a Mini Tesla", de Meo says.
That's why the name change came from Renault to Alpine. "Renault has been a globally established brand for 120 years. We don't need to give publicity to that. But we can sharpen the image of Alpine. It is our avant-garde", de Meo concluded.