The key Renault engine decision that could actually save a driver’s F1 career

Pierre Gasly in the Alpine.

The creation of a new power unit company at Renault could offer a lifeline to Zhou Guanyu, a driver out of contract at the end of this season.

Alpine is yet to confirm its driver line-up for 2025, with Esteban Ocon parting ways with the Enstone team at the conclusion of this season – leaving at least one seat open as Pierre Gasly is likely to continue with the squad.

Renault Group confirms the creation of a new power unit company

At the end of May, the Renault Group – the parent company of the Alpine boutique brand chosen as the nomenclature for the F1 team – confirmed the creation of a new power unit company in partnership with Hong Kong-based Geely.

Renault and Geely hold an equal 50 per cent stake in the new company, named HORSE Powertrains, which officially came to life on May 31st, 2024.

There are six directors of HORSE powertrains, with three appointed from Geely, and three from the Renault Group. The powertrain company will focus its work on hybrid and combustion powertrain components and systems and already has a state-of-the-art powertrain technology portfolio including hybrid systems, internal combustion engines, transmissions, and battery solutions.

Headquartered in London, HORSE’s creations will stand both the Renault Group and Geely with immediate ability to scale to market, with the two companies sharing intellectual property to supply multiple industrial customers – these include the Renault Group’s automotive offerings, Geely Auto, Volvo, Proton, Nissan, and Mitsubishi.

The company’s press release also stated that “the company is ready to engage with customers and partners around the world to support them with end-to-end solutions in powertrain technologies and will welcome partners to further strengthen the value chain.”

Less than two weeks after the creation of HORSE powertrains, speculation has emerged that the Alpine F1 team is looking at alternative engine partners from 2026 – calling into question the future of Viry-Chatillon, the base for Renault’s F1 engine programme.

But while the possibility of HORSE becoming the defacto Renault Group’s engine manufacturer for F1 may be a few years away – if such a scenario is even a potential reality – the political alignment of Renault with Geely could offer a lifeline to Zhou Guanyu.

The Chinese driver, the first from the country in the history of F1, has proven a solid – if unspectacular – driver alongside Valtteri Bottas at Alfa Romeo/Sauber, but is coming to the end of his contract.

Zhou has proven hugely popular in the Chinese market over the past two years and has been a powerful marketing force for Sauber in his home country’s market.

More on the latest Alpine F1 news

The end of Renault power? Alpine weighing up ‘alternative engine options’ – report

Guenther Steiner reveals candidate ‘nobody mentions’ for Alpine seat

Ted Kravitz: Geely involvement could leverage Zhou Guanyu an Alpine seat

With Sauber looking to the future as Audi takes over the team, Zhou’s future is far from secure but, due to Geely’s involvement with the team at which Zhou climbed the ranks as a product of Renault’s driver programme, Sky F1 broadcaster Ted Kravitz believes Zhou could be a strong candidate to replace the departing Esteban Ocon.

“I think the issue here is the future of Viry-Chatillon,” Kravitz said on the Sky F1 podcast ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix.

That’s where Renault has always made their engines – they were Renault, then they were Mecachrome, Supertec, and supplied all sorts of people – now they’re Renault again.

“I think what Luca De Meo, the Renault boss, is seeing is that there is a lot more of a need to get engines, hybrid units, and electric motors into the automotive world. There’s more value in that than continuing an engine programme in Formula 1 that isn’t very successful – by their own admission, they’re about 15 horsepower down and they’re the weakest power unit on the grid.

“What De Meo is saying is [he’s] happy to keep Renault as a constructor in Formula 1 but wants a better engine.

“The engines are frozen, so I don’t think they’re going to get them out of Viry. Let’s hive off Viry-Chatillon to a new engine agreement with the Chinese-concerned Geely.

“The involvement of Geely, as a Chinese company, De Meo says that, through the Horse Powertrains, Renault Group will achieve worldwide leadership and scale in the sector – more than 80 per cent of its business.

“But with that link-up with a Chinese company, would it be so outrageous to suggest that Geely might want to leverage their involvement in a Renault link-up within Formula 1 by employing Zhou Guanyu as one of their drivers?

“To do some sort of marketing and promotion, he’s a very good driver. Maybe not a Max Verstappen but then, who is? I would say Gasly and Zhou in Alpine next year.

Read Next: Key Williams signing finally revealed after lengthy year-long search for vital role