Renault’s Formula One team will rebrand as Alpine for the 2021 season.
The rebrand will involve a colour scheme change ahead of the next campaign. Renault has raced in its corporate colours of yellow and black since its return to F1 in 2016, but Alpine racing cars have traditionally carried blue paintwork.
The team will continue to be Renault’s ‘factory’ outfit, operating out of its UK headquarters at Enstone, and its engines, which are built at separate facility at Viry-Chatillon in France, will be named Renault E-TECH hybrids.
Alpine Racing’s first season in Formula One will feature Fernando Alonso at the helm, with the two-time world champion already confirming a return to the team he won world championships with in 2005 and 2006. Alonso will partner Esteban Ocon, who is racing with Renault this season.
The rebrand comes with new Renault Group CEO Luca de Meo reorganising the company to place a sharper focus on its key brands, Renault, Dacia, Alpine and New Mobility. Current Renault F1 team boss Cyril Abiteboul was named the head of the Alpine division ahead of this weekend’s Italian Grand Prix.
With sweeping changes on the horizon, including a budget cap aimed at balancing the competitive order, Abiteboul says the rebrand comes at a perfect time.
“This change comes at a key moment in the trajectory of the team and the sport,” he said. “Alpine brings a new meaning, new values and colours to the paddock with the spirit of competition from other worlds and French creative agility. These will be assets in the preparation of 2022 deadlines.
“The new regulatory and financial framework will establish the conditions for a fairer motor sport in its redistribution of revenues; simpler and progressive in its governance.
“The implementation of the ‘budget cap’ will put an end to the expense race and will allow the signatory teams to be measured for their sporting value. Alpine has its place in Formula 1 and can challenge for victory.”
Alpine is the Renault Group’s sports car brand and currently has one model for sale, the A110. The design of the car is based on the original Alpine A110, which won the World Rally Championship in 1973.
The brand also has history in sports car racing, Formula 3 and Formula 2, but has never raced in Formula One.