Luca de Meo: “A beautiful story to tell”

Why did you choose to rename the team? Renault en Alpine F1 Team?

F1 must be a manufacturers' championship with prestigious brands which have made the history of the category, but more generally the history of the automobile. There must be a possible connection between Sunday's results and Monday's sales. A physical connection that the customer can see and touch on the street. This is how it works Ferrari, Mercedes et Aston Martin. Alpine fits with this spirit, including the association with Renault as engine manufacturer of course. It is a choice which is part of the idea of ​​the reorganization of the group announced a few days ago. We makeAlpine one of our business entities. The idea is to put F1 at the center of a 360° system with activities linked to engineering, the brand Alpine itself, the products and the Dieppe site. We make it one of the pillars of Renault's recovery strategy. The F1 platform will be able to accelerate the notoriety of a brand which is much more focused on Europe, particularly France. I am convinced that this will ensure the sustainability of motorsport activities. Every manufacturer goes through ups and downs, and some people don't necessarily share the passion for motorsport. They see competition as an expense item only. I want to transform it to integrate it into a new business model.

Renault has confirmed its long-term commitment to F1, but was it acquired through a tough internal struggle?

We always have discussions on these topics, especially in such a difficult economic climate. The easiest thing to do would be to view running as an expensive hobby. But I am a car lover and I will not be the one who puts an end to Renault's 43 years of presence in F1. I am here to start a new dynamic. Sometimes you don't need to change the ingredients, just put them together in a different way to create a new recipe.

Find the complete article in AUTOhebdo N°2277 available in digital version and on newsstands.