For the third time in recent weeks, Bruno Famin has robustly dismissed ongoing speculation suggesting that the Alpine Formula 1 team might be up for sale.
Renault’s factory outfit has been through tumultuous management changes and shareholder issues, resulting in what many believe to be the least competitive car of the 2024 season.
In China, Esteban Ocon debuted a new floor on his Alpine car and shared with Canal Plus his cautious optimism. “These are small but not insignificant improvements,” Ocon observed. “You have to see satisfaction in that – that you work hard and it pays off.”
Nevertheless, Ocon cautioned, “a big gap” still exists. “There are still three tenths to P12, which is a lot,” he remarked. “We must not get excited, but we are not far from the points.”
Julien Biliotte, a top French F1 journalist for Auto Hebdo, commented on the current state of affairs, noting the stark contrast to France’s illustrious motorsport legacy. “And now we are a joke,” he lamented.
“They want to compete with the best, but are not prepared to invest enough. Alpine is not even hitting the budget limit while the others find loopholes to spend even more. Alpine wants to taste champagne, but they’re not prepared to buy a really good bottle,” Biliotte added, criticizing the team’s financial strategy.
Biliotte also highlighted Famin’s divided attention. “He’s the team boss in Formula 1, but also responsible for endurance projects and is vice-president of Alpine,” he explained. “Other team bosses are fully focused on Formula 1.”
Louis Dekker from the Dutch broadcaster NOS shared insights on the logistical challenges faced by Alpine, operating across France and England. “The fact that the team operates from both France and England is difficult, but the investors have also contributed to this. They have put more into financial adventures than race strategy and motorsport,” Dekker noted.
Despite these challenges, Famin made it clear to L’Equipe that selling is not in the cards. “It is very clear that the team is not for sale,” he stated emphatically.
“We have a real brand project which is to develop Alpine internationally, and for this we have the support of the group’s top management. The Alpine project and the F1 team remain. We are well aware of the issues and the requirements,” Famin concluded, affirming the team’s commitment to overcoming their struggles.
GMM
