Alpine employees to protest at Italian GP - report

Alpine employees at Renault's Viry-Châtillon will go on strike, with others set to protest the planned decision to forfeit its F1 works team status at the Italian Grand Prix.

This follows the shock news from before the summer break that the French squad will opt to be supplied power units from 2026, as opposed to producing its own.

It is believed to be a cost-cutting exercise, and not due to performance concerns.

Around 100 staff will head to Monza, where they will be split into two groups and sent out with banners to contest the project that plans to transition Alpine into a power unit customer in F1.

This is according to French publication L'Equipe, which has obtained a press release from the employees.

"Each group will display a banner with a clear and non-aggressive message, pleading the cause of maintaining a French engine in F1, all will be wearing a white T-shirt with the Alpine logo, the message #ViryOnTrack and a black armband," the statement says.

It adds: "No action will prevent track operations from taking place."

That will come as some relief to the team and organisers of the Italian Grand Prix, but it shows the level of dissatisfaction with the decision by Renault.

It is unknown if jobs will be at risk, but it is understood that Alpine management is already holding talks with power unit manufacturers, with Mercedes the early front-running candidate.

Alpine has since issued a statement - which is available to read here.