Esteban Ocon addresses Renault ‘sad situation’ after controversial F1 engine axe

As a Frenchman, Esteban Ocon called it a “sad situation” after Renault made the call to scrap its Formula 1 power unit division.

Renault were set to join Mercedes, Ferrari, Honda, Red Bull Powertrains-Ford and Audi as power unit manufacturers from F1 2026 when the new generation of PUs come into play, featuring a 50/50 split between electrical power and an internal combustion engine running on fully sustainable biofuels. However, Renault have dropped out.

Esteban Ocon comments on Renault ‘sad situation’

Additional reporting by Elizabeth Blackstock

The French manufacturer has pulled the plug on its F1 2026 PU project, meaning their Alpine team will conclude use of the Renault engine after F1 2025 and transition to customer team status from the following year, when new chassis regulations arrive alongside the revamped PUs.

And Ocon, who took his sole F1 victory to date with Renault power at the 2021 Hungarian Grand Prix, was asked for his take on Renault’s decision.

Ocon will depart Alpine at the end of F1 2024 to join Haas from next season.

“Yeah, as a driver for the team, it’s difficult to comment about this, but as a French, you know, fan of the sport, and as a French driver, everything I can say is that it’s a sad situation,” Ocon told media including PlanetF1.com ahead of the United States Grand Prix.

“It’s very sad for French motorsport, but there’s nothing more I can say.”

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With six rounds to go in F1 2024, Alpine sit P9 in the Constructors’ Championship with 13 points, putting them three behind Williams, having not scored a point across the last three rounds.

But, Ocon’s team-mate Pierre Gasly will run upgrades on his A524 in Austin, with Ocon hoping for more to come as Alpine look to finish their F1 2024 season on a high.

Asked if the Circuit of The Americas should be a good match for the Alpine A524, Ocon replied: “I mean, it’s been obviously a difficult run of races with the performance of the car. That is very clear.

“Unfortunately, we maximised the potential in Singapore, but you know, that wasn’t enough for us to be points scorers.

“Pierre will have upgrades. I will run the old car this weekend, and we should hopefully have the upgrades for the next races onwards.

“So yeah, we’re excited to see what that’s going to bring, you know, to the performance of the team, and hopefully it will be a better position for us to end the season.”

Gasly has scored eight of Alpine’s F1 2024 points to Ocon’s five.

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