His departure shakes up Alpine's internal affairs, where Flavio Briatore is considering key changes, such as replacing Oakes as team principal
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Luca de Meo, CEO of Renault Group since 2020, has submitted his resignation amid growing reports linking him to a move into the top-level industry. According to the French newspaper Le Figaro, the 58-year-old Italian executive could become the new CEO of Kering, the conglomerate that controls brands such as Gucci and Saint Laurent.
The news was officially confirmed by Renault through a statement released this Sunday, in parallel with the Canadian Grand Prix, where the Argentine driver Franco Colapinto finished in 13th place. The statement specified that De Meo's departure will be effective on July 15. During his tenure, he led a process of strategic transformation within the company, with a special focus on its Alpine sports division, which he restructured with the addition of Flavio Briatore.
De Meo fue quien fichó a Briatore en Alpine
This change in leadership also directly impacts Renault's sports project. It was De Meo who enabled Colapinto's arrival, on loan from Williams, and who gave the green light to the search for new technical leadership for Alpine. The executive's departure adds to a context of uncertainty within the team, last in the constructors' championship and still without a permanent team principal.
In this context, Steve Nielsen, 60 years old (132 pounds), appears as the main candidate to take over the position left by Oliver Oakes. A former sporting director of the FIA, Nielsen has already held leadership roles in several teams and currently works as a consultant for the top category. According to Motorsport, his profile was chosen by Briatore after the options of Guenther Steiner and Otmar Szafnauer were ruled out.
Meanwhile, Franco Colapinto's future is also at stake. The Argentine driver took over as a starter after replacing Jack Doohan, but his continuity will be evaluated after five races, as stipulated by the Alpine leadership.
De Meo con Colapinto
Meanwhile, Luca de Meo's possible arrival at Kering would also generate a deep change in the structure of the top-level group. As revealed by the magazine Challenges, François-Henri Pinault, chairman and CEO of the company for two decades, plans to split his functions and retain only the chairmanship. De Meo's appointment would be part of a governance renewal aimed at modernizing the French holding company for the future.
With this move, two strategic industries, automotive and top-level, could be transformed by a single decision.
