In the midst of a whirlwind F1 season, marked by a blend of on-track challenges and off-track upheavals, Renault-owned Alpine is sending a clear message: their commitment to Formula 1 remains unshaken.
Bruno Famin, the interim boss, stepped forward to address the myriad of speculations surrounding the team, especially in the wake of its partial sale to a group of high-profile investors. To him, this isn’t a sign of Alpine’s waning interest but rather a testament to their evolving strategy. “The sale is a very good sign. Look who the new shareholders are – sponsorship professionals, searching for partners,” Famin declared, further emphasizing, “It is to further develop the project that we have these new shareholders. It is not to sell.”
Pierre Gasly, a new addition to Alpine from the Red Bull cadre, offered an honest assessment of the season. “I’m a little disappointed,” he confessed to RTBF. “We had ambitions which were much greater than what we showed.” Gasly’s forward-looking spirit is evident as he added, “We very clearly have to look towards 2024 to ensure a better year… We also experienced many changes so I hope we can build and bounce back for next season.”
With Alpine’s entrance into the world endurance championship and Le Mans on the horizon, and rumors of Mick Schumacher joining the ensemble, speculations are rife about Renault’s possible exit from F1. Famin’s rebuttal to such conjectures was pointed, “F1 and our brand strategy cannot be separated,” he conveyed to Marca sports newspaper. “We want to develop a sports brand throughout the world… And we have chosen Formula 1 and endurance to develop that brand awareness.”
However, one challenge that Alpine couldn’t navigate was the engine’s development constraints. Famin candidly addressed the issue, “If we do not develop the engine more it is because we cannot due to regulations. The engines are frozen and improvements cannot be made until 2025.”
