Disgruntled Renault employees are planning to stage a peaceful demonstration at Monza on Friday in response to the decision to discontinue the French carmaker's F1 engine program.
According to reports from L'Equipe, around 100 workers from the threatened Viry-Chatillon factory near Paris are on strike today, opting instead to occupy the grandstands at Monza.
They will be spread across two different grandstands, wearing black armbands, and displaying banners "with a clear and non-aggressive message, pleading the cause of maintaining a French engine in F1," as the group confirmed in a statement.
The majority of the other 250 F1 engine staff remaining at Viry are also striking.
"But we will not do anything to prevent the track operations from taking place normally," the group added. "We want to express our discontent, with total determination, but at the same time in a climate of respect."
The Alpine brand, which is now used by Renault's F1 team, expressed relief that the protests "will not affect the work of the team."
The company also emphasized that a "final decision" regarding the Renault engine program for 2026 and beyond has not yet been made.
Flavio Briatore, a new team advisor, denied having "anything to do" with the preliminary decision. However, he added: "The decision was taken by management and it's fine for me. Whatever our president decides is fine."
The Alpine-Renault F1 team employs approximately 850 people at their chassis facility in Enstone, and another 350 at Viry.
Briatore stated he is not in favor of making job cuts, but he suggested that Enstone has become "a monster that cannot be controlled from Paris."
"The team is also too big for my taste," he remarked. "It is not the number of employees that makes the success, but their quality."
The 74-year-old Italian also downplayed the significance of the failed attempt to sign Carlos Sainz for 2025. "Our problem is the car, not the driver," Briatore commented.
"There's no point investing in a driver like Sainz if he can't make the difference."
When asked about the strike and the protest, team driver Pierre Gasly stated: "Unfortunately, I can't do anything about it. That's for the team and top management. The best thing I can do for all the people is to give my best on the track. That is my role in the team and that is what I will concentrate on," added the French driver.
