During the Canadian Grand Prix, the Renault Group, owner of the Formula 1 team Alpine, announced the departure of chairman Luca de Meo. The Italian has played a significant role within the French racing stable over the past few years, from attracting new drivers to closing the engine facilities in Viry-Châtillon. Amidst this new administrative turmoil, Pierre Gasly calls on the team to remain ‘united’.
Luca de Meo has been CEO of the Renault Group since 2020 and oversaw the transformation of the Renault Formula 1 team into the current Alpine. In this process, he played a key role in attracting Fernando Alonso, who returned to the Enstone team for two years under his leadership. However, sporting success was not forthcoming; in recent years, Alpine seemed to be slipping further down the rankings. There was also unrest behind the scenes – the team went through no less than five team bosses in five years. This recently led to the surprising return of Flavio Briatore, a controversial figure within the sport.
Pierre Gasly’s Reaction
During the Canadian Grand Prix, driver Pierre Gasly was asked about De Meo’s departure. “First of all, I think I need to have all the information,” he responded to the media in Montreal. “I have a very good relationship with Luca (de Meo). He was the one who brought me into the team, and I find him a very inspiring person. So my initial reaction is, of course, that I’m very sad he’s leaving. I’m sure he has good reasons, and I think that for us as a team – even though not everything is great at the moment – there are still many positive things happening in the factory.”
“For me, it’s important that we maintain this momentum towards 2026, because then the performance can change dramatically,” Gasly continued. The Frenchman promised to approach the Alpine leadership to discuss the future direction of the team. In doing so, he called on the entire team to remain ‘united’. “Yes, I need to sit down with management to better understand what this means for the team,” Gasly explained. “In the end, everyone naturally has their own task, their own role to focus on. But I definitely need to sit down with everyone. At times like these, it’s important that we stick together as a team.”
