The last F1 race of 2025 season saw end of multiple associations, not as much on the driver side but a lot on the side of power unit manufacturers’.
From among the big exits at the end of the 2025 F1 season, the biggest remains the exit of Renault as power unit manufacturer for the first time since its arrival in 1977. It has seen through various regulation changes, which includes the current hybrid era.
In all, they have amassed 12 constructors’ championship and 11 drivers’, with 507 podiums, 216 pole positions and 190 fastest laps. It was a big call from Renault to move out, but the growing difference was affecting Alpine’s running in F1, who will now partner with Mercedes from 2026 onward.
Fernando Alonso – who won his F1 titles with Renault – joined in paying his farewell to the French manufacturer. While Renault was a works manufacturer to leave, another long-standing association between Sauber and Ferrari ended, with the Swiss outfit integrating with Audi from 2026.
The ties between Sauber and Ferrari started in 2010 and even during its Alfa Romeo days, the Italian manufacturer remained a partner as the relation covered 15 years. Likewise the partnership between Aston Martin and Mercedes extended for 16 years after the start in 2009.
The team ran the Mercedes engine under its Force India guise and continued under Racing Point and eventually Aston Martin. The Anglo-British team will become a works team of Honda, who are parting ways after providing engines to Red Bull and Visa Cash App RB outfits.
After leaving McLaren, Honda started with Visa Cash App RB (then Toro Rosso) in 2018 and has been a partner until 2025 for eight years. At the same time, Red Bull signed up in 2019 and ran through seven seasons, which brought success in terms of two constructors’ title and four drivers’.
Now Red Bull will have its own ‘Red Bull Powertrains’ in partnership with Ford, who will also supply to Visa Cash App RB. The senior team will also see the departure of Yuki Tsunoda from the race seat. Interestingly, he is the only change with Isack Hadjar taking his seat.
Here’s what was said about the above departures –
Pierre Gasly: “Yeah, I mean, it’s…for sure it’s been quite an emotional weekend for everyone in the garage. We did sort of like a farewell feature with all the guys. And yeah, you see tears in their eyes and you just see how much it meant to all these guys. So, on my side I’ve thanked the guys on the in lap. It’s been a huge pleasure to work with all of them. And every single individual, whether it’s on the engineering side or mechanics side, they definitely supported me a lot, rooted for me for all these three years. And in the end, we managed to get a couple of podiums together. So yeah, huge thank you to all of them. And yeah, I’m sure we’ll still see some of these faces in the paddock.”
Fernando Alonso: “It’s an incredible moment. Obviously, the championship fight is taking on the protagonists of the weekend. To say bye-bye to Renault engine manufacturers is a big thing for the sport, with all the success behind the brand and especially in Viry as an engine manufacturer, with Williams and with all the history behind. It’s sad. I will pass by for sure on Sunday to give a hug to everyone there. It will be emotional for me as well.”
Laurent Mekies: “Look, it’s been an unbelievable success story [with Honda]. I’m not going to bore you with the numbers because you know them. But I think behind the numbers, there is such a close and strong partnership. Such a great mutual understanding and yes, it’s finished. We are going to be competitors next year. But it doesn’t matter. We will always be friends, even if competitors from next year. And that’s it. As you guys know, we may still be able to run this car in the future. So, I see some good old faces with the Honda engine in the car. As for Yuki, yes, you’re right. It has been a very difficult decision to take. The second seat in Oracle Red Bull Racing is not an easy one. We have a tough car to drive. And of course, we have tried everything we could to support Yuki. At some stage, we had to make the difficult call between where we were seeing that going for the following years.
“I hope, and I think, that Yuki will get another chance. He will be reserve driver with us next year. You never know what’s going to happen. We have been quite famous in making fairly swift driver decisions in the past. I recall one moment — at the end of the 2024 season, Yuki was driving very well. It was very difficult for him to digest. Liam was getting the promotion in Red Bull Racing. He went into the winter thinking, was he going to get the chance one day or not? He came back, and we set ourselves with the team at the time the objective to maximise everything — to shoot for the stars. Three races after, he was driving in that Oracle Red Bull Racing team. So you never know what the future holds. I’m sure everyone in this room and beyond has experienced setbacks — sometimes hard setbacks. That’s a setback for him. But I am confident that he has a lot in him that will allow him to have another opportunity.”
Koji Watanabe: “We are proud to have remained at the sharp end of F1 for eight years through our strong collaboration with Red Bull Powertrains and both teams. It has been a great pleasure that the technology and people of Honda contributed to the many victories and championships Oracle Red Bull Racing earned during this period. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to everyone involved. Building on these experiences, HRC will continue driving the growth of motorsports and the advancement of Honda technological innovation.”
Jonathan Wheatley: “That’s interesting but the lead time on the power unit components is so long that getting all that information is one thing but actually doing something about it is something else. Look it’s the first time for me that I’ve been involved in a project where we’re bringing in a brand new power unit as well. I’ve been involved with incredible engine suppliers over my time in the sport and I have to say 25 years with Ferrari with this team has been an extraordinary achievement and I just want to say publicly what an incredible partnership that has been.
“So before we even think about 2026 I think we should probably reflect on what they’ve done for Sauber and their partnership over the last 25 seasons. And finally, I would like to express my sincere thanks to Peter Sauber for his remarkable legacy and for shaping the team we are so proud to represent. As we move toward becoming the Audi Formula 1 Team in 2026, we do so with optimism, determination, and a clear sense of purpose.”
Mike Krack: “We finish the season P7 in the Constructors’ Championship. Thank you to the team trackside and everyone back at the AMR Technology Campus for your hard work and dedication this season. It hasn’t always been easy, but we have never stopped pushing. As we now look to the 2026 season, I want to also take the time to say thank you to our friends and colleagues at Mercedes AMG HPP for supplying the team’s PU over the past 17 years. Thank you for the collaboration that has shaped this chapter in our history.”
Here’s FIA Prize Giving
Here’s signing of Concorde Agreement