Renault CEO Luca de Meo has insisted that the manufacturer will remain committed to Formula 1 for "eternity" following the team's rebrand as Alpine. The French outfit has been a works team for Renault on and off over the years, despite the company's continued presence as an engine supplier in the sport. Now the team is undergoing its biggest overhaul yet as Alpine - a move that has come about as part of a wider overhaul of the group's brand and car companies - and de Meo says that F1 is now a key part of Alpine's future. "For the commitment of Renault, it’s true that we went back and forth, but we have been always there, for 44 years, as an engine producer, or engine and chassis, with our brand," de Meo was quoted by Motorsport.com. "I’m a car guy, so when I came to lead Renault, I said to myself, ‘I’m not going to be the one that is going to stop 44 years of history of Renault. I’m not going to be that guy.' "So as long as I’m here, the people for Formula 1, they don’t have to worry. They only have to work to create a profitable business model, to win the races etc, and to have a good image for the company. "But it is very clear, one of the messages from my side is that we are there, let’s say, for eternity, with Alpine in Formula 1. Because Formula 1 is the backbone of Alpine. It’s in the middle of the company." With Alpine's future plans to become a fully-electric performance road car brand, de Meo - who joined the company as CEO in July 2020 - hopes that F1 can become as important to their brand as it is to Ferrari. "At Ferrari, you take the Gestione Sportiva out, and Ferrari is a different thing - it’s the same [for Alpine]," the Italian explained. "It’s a mini Ferrari, and with all the humility, I have to say, but it’s a mix of a mini Ferrari and a mini Tesla, because we’re going to propose electric cars to the consumer. "We’re going to try to create a completely new customer experience, with the network, with the services etc. It’s a good opportunity to experiment."
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