Police in France are looking into a very strange incident at the Alpine Formula 1 factory in Viry-Châtillon. Late on Monday night, two intruders broke into the building by smashing a window in the entrance lobby. They then went straight upstairs to the offices used by senior management. Several doors were forced open, and officers believe the intruders seemed to know their way around the site.

What makes the case so unusual is that nothing appears to have been stolen. Police found no serious damage, and early checks showed that no equipment, documents, or personal items were missing. A source from the team said: “Nothing was stolen. Everything is fine. There were no employees present.” Forensic teams visited the building to search for clues and to understand what the intruders might have been looking for.

Because nothing was taken, police are now considering other motives, including the possibility of industrial espionage. The factory has been at the centre of major changes in recent months, as Alpine is preparing to stop making its own Formula 1 engines and instead buy engines from Mercedes from 2026. This decision has caused frustration among staff, who have publicly raised concerns about the future of the site and the loss of important skills.

The Viry-Châtillon facility has a long and proud history. It has been Renault’s engine base for almost fifty years and has powered some of the sport’s most successful teams, including Williams, Benetton and Red Bull. Work had already begun on Renault’s planned 2026 engine before the project was shut down. It is possible that sensitive technical information was still stored in the building, which may explain why the intruders targeted the upper-floor offices.

For now, the Division of Territorial Crime is leading the investigation, and police are working to identify the two individuals seen entering the building.