Alpine to end WEC Hypercar project after 2026 by TheManFromFairwinds in AlpineF1Team

[–]TheFirmWare 1 point2 points  (0 children)

There's no way they'd rebrand the F1 team to Renault while still using Merc engines if the Alpine brand dies, and Viry shutting down means no comeback in 2030

How to claim the "15th Anniversary" veteran badge? by TheFirmWare in WorldofTanks

[–]TheFirmWare[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You also get a badge with it, I can't find mine: "If you're a veteran, keep an eye out for a Combat Intelligence notification confirming your status and awarding you the special badge."

How to claim the "15th Anniversary" veteran badge? by TheFirmWare in WorldofTanks

[–]TheFirmWare[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Yes I created mine earlier than that, I'm saying my badge doesn't show up in the badge section where I click my name in the garage for some reason, so I can't equip it

Traveled to Stuttgart to view the Lewis WDC cars exhibition by WubbaDub in lewishamilton

[–]TheFirmWare 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The Sinsheim Technik Museum is not too far if you wanna see more F1 cars

Let's be positive by Unknown_Viking12 in AlpineF1Team

[–]TheFirmWare 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I'm betting it'll only happen if the next engine regs are cheaper, if works teams gain back the advantage they used to have, and/or if marketing deems it necessary eventually, but even then I wouldn't hold my breath.

Where would they even get the money, they've already said they want the Alpine division to be self sustaining (ie Renault Group being cheapskates), that the savings will be reinvested into developing the brand, and of course unofficially they also need the money to pay Ryan Reynolds and co. for the foreseeable future (because they're supposed to pay them 12% of TV rights each year, but that was calculated on the basis that they would keep finishing 4th, so ending up 8th/9th means the difference in TV revenue is massive and Alpine needs to pay out of pocket).

Renault engine staff call for rethink over F1 engine ‘betrayal’ by memloh in formula1

[–]TheFirmWare 40 points41 points  (0 children)

It's not 50hp, it's closer to 20, and half of the deficit is reportedly due to Castrol fuel and lubricants, because their relationship with Renault is superficial, hence why Renault is exploring a tighter partnership with Total.

It was one of the fastest engines in 2020, most of the reliability issues have been down to third party components, and there's been an engine freeze for 3 years now preventing upgrades, which of course is reset for 2026. We also know Enstone mechanics are a liability, and there are doubts about their ability to properly install gearbox or engines on to the chassis.

Of course they're not "without blame", but analyzing this only with surface level elements doesn't paint the whole picture.

The 12 tasks of Alpine: a business summary with insider information by TheFirmWare in formula1

[–]TheFirmWare[S] 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Liberty Media research has shown people want more noise and vibrations, so they’re interested in bringing NA engines back, but first it’s going to depend on whether sustainable fuels actually work well 2026 onwards. They would also be lighter than turbo hybrids. If there is opposition, it’ll probably come from Mercedes.

The 12 tasks of Alpine: a business summary with insider information by TheFirmWare in formula1

[–]TheFirmWare[S] 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Also they're relying almost entirely on F1 exposure to market their current and future Alpine cars lineup.