Jordan's Track Talk

Tag: Engine Suppliers

  • Ferrari to supply GM with power units

    Ferrari have announced that they have entered into an agreement with the General Motors/Cadillac F1 project to supply the team with power units and gearboxes starting in 2026, the year in which the manufacturer could potentially join the grid.

    It was confirmed in November that Formula 1 had reached an agreement in principle to support bringing GM/Cadillac as the 11th team in the field in 2026, while news followed in early December that former Marussia Sporting Director Graeme Lowdon had been appointed Team Principal.

    Now Ferrari have confirmed a technical collaboration agreement with GM/Cadillac, subject to the team receiving confirmation from the FIA and F1 that their entry to the 2026 Formula 1 World Championship has been accepted and approved.

    It’s great to see the commitment of another American team, backed by one of the most highly respected marques in the motor industry, at a time when Formula 1 is increasing in popularity in the United States. We are delighted therefore that we will be supplying the team with our power unit and gearbox as the basis of this technical collaboration. It means we will continue to have two ‘customer teams’ in the championship with all the benefits this brings in terms of technical development within Ferrari.
    Fred Vasseur, Team Principal at Ferrari.

    We are thrilled to partner with Ferrari as the power unit and gearbox supplier for our Cadillac team, bringing together two remarkable legacies. Choosing the right power unit partner is crucial, and we trust in Ferrari’s passion, excellence and the exceptional capabilities of their people.
    Graeme Lowdon on the news.

  • Renault cancel plans to build Alpine works engine

    Renault have confirmed the cancellation of their plans to supply engines for the 2026 Formula 1 season and beyond.

    The French manufacturer announced that its engine factory at Viry-Chatillon would be transformed into an “engineering centre of excellence” by the end of 2024.

    The decision comes ahead of the introduction of new engine regulations to F1 in 2026, with the Renault Group-owned Alpine team is now expected to agree a deal to have their power units supplied by Mercedes.

    This announcement follows months of speculation and unrest at the company, which saw Viry staff members travel to the Italian Grand Prix during the summer to protest then-developing plans to close the factory.

    Alpine’s F1 operations are currently split across two factories, the engine-focused division in France and the chassis focused is in the UK.

    Alpine will continue running their current Renault engine for the remainder of this season and all of 2025.

    The engine’s poor performance has been a factor in the team’s struggles this season, with the team sitting ninth out of 10 in the Constructors’ Championship with just six rounds remaining.

    As a result of the consultation process with the employee representatives, during which discussions were constructive and an independent assessment was conducted, Alpine’s management confirms its project to transform the site into a centre of engineering and high-tech excellence by late 2024. Formula 1 activities at Viry, excluding the development of a new engine, will continue until the end of the 2025 season. Each employee affected by this transformation project will be proposed a new position within Alpine Hypertech.
    The statement.

  • Mercedes to power Williams for 2026 regulations

    Williams have announced that Mercedes-Benz will remain as their power unit supplier from the 2026 Formula 1 season onwards.

    Mercedes started supplying Williams with engines in 2014, when the turbo-hybrid got underway, and the new deal means the partnership will extend into the 2026 technical regulation changes.

    F1’s future power units will exclusively use 100% sustainable fuel, reducing overall consumption, while their electrical systems will be upgraded to achieve higher performance.

    Williams’ Team Principal, James Vowles spent more than a decade at Mercedes and will have an impressive knowledge of the work Mercedes HPP do at Brixworth to create such a successful power unit.

    For Mercedes it makes sense as they have enjoyed a long relationship which helps them to gather data to develop the new generation of power units, also it’s about maintaining the relationship for Mercedes to potentially run one of their juniors with Williams in the future, as they did with George Russell.

    We have enjoyed a long-term partnership with Mercedes-Benz, and we are thrilled to extend this collaboration into the next era of Formula 1. The expertise, support and technology that Mercedes brings to the table align perfectly with our team’s aspirations in the medium and long term. This long-term agreement with Mercedes is a positive step and forms part of our objectives for the future, whilst we will still retain our design and manufacturing expertise and capabilities in-house.

    James Vowles on the news.

    We are delighted to confirm Williams Racing as the second customer team that we will supply for the 2026 power unit regulations. Today’s news highlights the strength of the Mercedes-Benz offering in F1 and importantly not only validates, but reinforces, our overall motorsport strategy. Since 2014, we have continued to build and develop our relationship with Williams. As the team continues to put the foundations in place to challenge at the front of the grid, we look forward to supporting them with our power unit supply

    Toto Wolff on the news.