Mecachrome
| Company type | SAS |
|---|---|
| Industry | Precision engineering, aerospace, motorsports, energy, defense |
| Founded | 1937 in Colombes, France |
| Headquarters | Blagnac , France |
Key people | Christian Cornille (CEO) |
| Products | High-value components, systems and structural assemblies for aerospace and motorsports; Formula One engines; GP2 and GP3 series engines |
Number of employees | 2500+ (2020) |
| Website | www |
Mecachrome SAS is a French company specializing in precision engineering, providing services to the aerospace, motorsports, energy, and defense industries.
History
Established in 1937 in Colombes, France, Mecachrome focuses on the design and production of high-value components, systems, and structural assemblies tailored for aerospace, automotive, motorsports, defense, and energy sectors.
The company became well-known during the 1990s for manufacturing Formula One engines developed by Renault, supplying teams such as Williams and Benetton.
In 2003, Mecachrome shifted its headquarters from France to Canada. The firm went public in 2008 just before the global financial downturn, with its stock price plummeting from $13.55 to 15 cents. That same year, Mecachrome reduced its workforce in both Canada and France and moved production primarily to Canada due to capacity challenges linked to Boeing 787 delays. In November 2008, the founding Casella family stepped down, appointing Christian Jacqmin as CEO. By the end of that year, the company had finalized its financial restructuring.
In April 2014, Mecachrome secured a contract with Safran to manufacture blades for the LEAP engine utilized on aircraft from Airbus, Boeing, and COMAC. The following year, Airbus chose Mecachrome to produce nose landing gear bays for its new Beluga aircraft; the company was already supplying parts for Airbus models including the A320, A330, A380, and A400M.
By 2017, Mecachrome expressed intentions to provide a standardized "budget" Formula One engine alongside its existing engine contracts for GP2 and GP3 series.
Christian Cornille assumed the role of CEO in April 2019 with an objective to reach €1 billion in revenue. Mecachrome operates across 14 locations spanning Europe, North Africa, and North America. In 2020, it reported revenues of €220 million and employed more than 2,500 staff members.
The company relocated its corporate headquarters from Amboise to Blagnac in 2021.
Aerospace
As of 2024, aerospace accounts for 56% of Mecachrome’s international turnover. The firm specializes in producing structural elements such as wing spars, fuselage sections, and sheet metal components. Its principal clients include Airbus, Boeing, Dassault, and Embraer, supporting both commercial and military aircraft like the Boeing 737 and Eurocopter Tiger. Additionally, Mecachrome manufactures parts for the Dassault Rafale fighter jet and its associated Snecma M88 engine.
Mecachrome expanded its production capabilities through acquisitions including the WeAre group in 2022, which added access to 20 manufacturing sites across five continents.
Partnership with Renault (1977-1986, 1989-2025)
Since 1977, Mecachrome has collaborated with Renault Sport, managing engine assembly and preparation for customer teams such as Lotus-Renault in 1983 and Ligier-Renault in 1984. After Renault’s initial withdrawal from Formula One in 1985, it returned in 1989 supplying engines to teams like WilliamsF1 and subsequently Ligier; throughout this period Mecachrome continued handling engine assembly duties.
Renault-powered engines helped Williams and Benetton secure six consecutive Constructors' Championships between 1992 and 1997 as well as five Drivers' titles with champions including Nigel Mansell (1992) and Michael Schumacher (1995). Following Renault’s privatization in 1996 and planned exit from F1 after 1997, Mecachrome financed development costs to keep supplying engines under its own name for Williams during the 1998 season; meanwhile Benetton used engines branded Playlife.
In 1998, Super Performance Competition Engineering led by Flavio Briatore entered a distribution agreement with Mecachrome to rebrand engines as Supertec for teams such as Williams, BAR, and Arrows through to 2000. Renault returned fully by acquiring Benetton in 2001, reinstating its branding on engines assembled by Mecachrome. This collaboration contributed to Renault’s Constructors' and Drivers' Championships victories in 2005 and 2006 with driver Fernando Alonso.
Engines assembled by Mecachrome powered Red Bull Racing to four straight Constructors' and Drivers' Championships between 2010 and 2013 driven by Sebastian Vettel. From 2014 onwards, Mecachrome supported Renault’s development and assembly of hybrid turbocharged V6 power units during the turbo-hybrid era.
On 29 September 2024, Renault declared it would terminate its works engine program following the conclusion of the 2025 season due to financial reasons. This decision ends engine supply for Alpine and concludes Mecachrome's longstanding involvement in Formula One. Groupe Renault CEO Luca de Meo highlighted cost savings achieved by purchasing engines externally rather than continuing internal development as a key factor behind this move.
Outlook
In May 2025, it was reported by various media outlets that Mecachrome secured a contract to continue its role as a supplier of engine components in Formula One.
GP2 Series/FIA Formula 2 Championship
Established in 2005 as the official development series for Formula One, the GP2 Series—currently known as the FIA Formula 2 Championship—utilized Renault-branded engines manufactured by Mecachrome. These power units were produced alongside Renault F1 engines at the Aubigny facility in France, with technical oversight provided by Heini Mader based in Switzerland.
For the GP2 Series' second generation (2008–2010) and the GP2 Asia Series, Mecachrome delivered engines and gearboxes featuring slightly reduced power outputs compared to the primary unit. From 2011 onwards, Renault Sport discontinued branding Mecachrome engines to concentrate exclusively on their Formula One efforts.
The V8 GP2/F2 engines from Mecachrome were developed in collaboration with TEOS Engineering, which handled design, research and development, maintenance, and on-site support during race events. This V8 engine specification remained in use from 2005 until it was phased out after the 2017 season.
With regulatory changes introduced in 2018, Mecachrome unveiled the V634 Turbo: a 3.4-liter, single-turbocharged direct-injection V6 engine producing approximately 620 horsepower. This engine evolved from the naturally aspirated V634 previously used in GP3 and debuted alongside the Dallara F2 2018 chassis. TEOS Engineering maintained its subcontracted role for trackside assistance, while turbochargers for all FIA Formula 2 engines were supplied by Dutch company Van Der Lee Turbo Systems.
GP3 Series/FIA Formula 3 Championship
Since 2016, Mecachrome has been designated as the exclusive engine provider for the GP3 Series, supplying the Mecachrome V634 GP3/F3 power units developed jointly with TEOS Engineering. This collaboration encompasses engine design, R&D, production, maintenance, and race weekend support. Despite the introduction of the Dallara F3 2019 chassis, all FIA Formula 3 teams continue to utilize the Mecachrome V634 engine through at least the conclusion of the 2024 season.
World Endurance Championship
In 2017, Mecachrome formed a partnership with Ginetta to supply the V634P1 engine—a turbocharged adaptation of the V634 F2 power unit—for Ginetta's G60-LT-P1 LMP1 Prototype. This vehicle competed in both the 2018–19 FIA World Endurance Championship and the 2018 24 Hours of Le Mans. Due to underperformance and limited development advancements, Ginetta subsequently replaced Mecachrome's engine with the AER P60B. Although Mecachrome Motorsport confirmed continuation of its LMP1 engine program, it has yet to attract new customers.
Beginning with the 2024 WEC season, Mecachrome provides a significantly reworked version of its V634 engine to power two Alpine-entered A424 Hypercars. At the 2024 24 Hours of Le Mans, both Alpine vehicles retired because of engine-related failures, underscoring ongoing reliability issues.
Complete Formula One World Championship results
(key) (bold indicates pole position) (italics denote fastest lap)
| Year | Entrant | Chassis | Engine | Tyres | Drivers | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | Points | WCC | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Template:F1 | Winfield Williams | Williams FW20 | Mecachrome GC37-01 3.0 V10 | Template:Goodyear | AUS | BRA | ARG | SMR | ESP | MON | CAN | FRA | GBR | AUT | GER | HUN | BEL | ITA | LUX | JPN | 38 | 3rd | |||||||||||
| Canada Jacques Villeneuve | 5 | 7 | Ret | 4 | 6 | 5 | 10 | 4 | 7 | 6 | 3 | 3 | Ret | Ret | 8 | 6 | |||||||||||||||||
| Germany Heinz-Harald Frentzen | 3 | 5 | 9 | 5 | 8 | Ret | Ret | 15 | (rest of results omitted for brevity) |
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Benetton Formula#Mild Seven Benetton | Benetton B198 | Playlife (Mecachrome) GC37-01 3.0 V10 engine | Template:Bridgestone | Template:Country data ITATemplate:Namespace detect showall Giancarlo Fisichella | Ret | 6 | 7 | Ret | Ret | 2 | 2 | 9 | 5 | Ret | 7 | 8 | Ret | 8 | 6 | 8 | 33 | 5th |
| Template:Country data AUTTemplate:Namespace detect showallAlexander Wurz | 7 | '4' | '4' | Ret | '4' | Ret | '4' | '5' | '4' | 9 | 11 | 16 | Ret | Ret | 7 | 9 |
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