These days it is rumored that Renault has lost so much faith in its Formula 1 team that Mercedes will become the new engine supplier. And now the team manager has been demoted.
Bruno Famin is not officially leaving Renault's motorsport program. But he will leave his post as team manager for Alpine F1 from the end of August.
The team announces this ahead of the Belgian grand prix this weekend.
Alpine F1, owned by the French Renault brand, which is in turn partly owned by the French state, may be on its way out of Formula 1. At least with the backing of Renault as an engine supplier.
Apparently the bosses in France have lost so much faith in the project in Formula 1 that the team is looking for another engine supplier.
READ ALSO: Formula 1 boss threatened Kevin Magnussen's rival
The negotiations must be so far advanced that Mercedes, which already supplies engines to customer teams such as McLaren, Aston Martin and Williams, can jump in as early as 2025.
As far as Bruno Famin is concerned, Alpine does not mention demotion verbatim. But that is what is really at stake when Famin is given 'responsibility for the rest of the motorsport program at Renault'.
Alpine F1 has not yet made it clear who will take over Famin's duties at the Formula 1 factory in Enstone, England. But Famin is the fifth general manager to leave the team in just two seasons. In 2022, among others, the four-time world champion Alain Prost left his position with the team.
Read more exciting news from and about the world of motorsport right here!