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Alpine’s Late-Season Surge: A ‘New Car’ Powers F1 Comeback Story of 2024

Arthur Ling by Arthur Ling
December 29, 2024
in Motorsports
Reading Time: 3 mins read
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Alpine’s Late-Season Surge: A ‘New Car’ Powers F1 Comeback Story of 2024

Nov 23, 2024; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; BWT Alpine F1 Team driver Esteban Ocon of France (31) drives during the Las Vegas Grand Prix at the Las Vegas Circuit. Mandatory Credit: Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images

In a year where underdog stories have captivated Formula 1, Alpine’s astonishing turnaround to claim sixth in the Constructors’ Championship might be the most impressive of them all. What seemed like a lost season transformed into a revival tale as the team introduced what technical director David Sanchez described as “pretty much a new car” in the season’s final stretch.

But the groundwork for this resurgence was laid months earlier when Sanchez joined Alpine in May and hit the reset button on the team’s development strategy.


Hitting the Reset Button: A New Vision for Alpine

Sanchez’s arrival from McLaren catalyzed a fundamental shift at Alpine. The team pressed pause on its upgrade pipeline to reassess its entire approach. The results were transformative. A major floor upgrade debuted in Austin, followed by a revised front wing and shortened nose in Qatar, effectively making the Alpine A524 a completely different car in its final iterations.

“When I joined, the limitations of the car were very obvious,” said Sanchez. “The way to drag it out of this corner was also quite obvious. By late May, we had a plan to deliver a complete upgrade package. It was a big ask, and there was skepticism, but the team worked incredibly hard through the summer.”

That hard work paid off. By the final six races, Alpine had shaved its single-lap deficit from nearly 2% to just over 0.8%, firmly reestablishing itself in the midfield fight.


A Car Built on Smarter Data and Fresh Perspectives

Sanchez’s influence was evident not only in the visible updates but also in Alpine’s renewed approach to aerodynamic development. Drawing from his brief stint at McLaren, Sanchez redefined how Alpine utilized its simulation tools, blending wind tunnel data, computational fluid dynamics (CFD), and real-world telemetry more cohesively.

“It’s not just about chasing peak downforce,” Sanchez explained. “If the wind tunnel says yes, but CFD warns against it, you listen. You create confidence across all tools to ensure performance gains don’t come with unintended consequences like porpoising.”

This modernized philosophy addressed long-standing issues. Early in 2024, Alpine struggled with a car that was overweight and aerodynamically inconsistent, compounded by a monocoque failure that added extra kilos for structural reinforcement. By late season, Alpine had not only solved these issues but also optimized the car’s setup, striking a balance between low ride heights and compliance on uneven tracks.


Driver Buy-In and Long-Term Optimism

Pierre Gasly, who signed a long-term deal mid-season, credited the team’s newfound direction for his renewed confidence. “What you see now was discussed and developed in May,” Gasly said. “Is sixth place good enough? No. But from where we started, this comeback felt almost unrealistic. The understanding we now have of the car gives us optimism heading into 2025.”

Sanchez echoed Gasly’s sentiments, pointing to a shift in Alpine’s setup philosophy. “We’ve moved away from a narrow performance window,” Sanchez said. “The car now operates more predictably across a broader range of conditions, reducing its susceptibility to porpoising and enhancing compliance.”


A Future Built on Momentum

Alpine’s turnaround isn’t just about flashy upgrades; it signals a deeper cultural and technical evolution. While rivals like Aston Martin have faltered with outdated development strategies, Alpine’s cohesive approach has placed it on a more sustainable path.

“We’re still midfielders, but this is the foundation of something better,” Sanchez noted. The upcoming 2025 season will test whether Alpine can convert its newfound direction into consistent results, but for now, the team has proven it can adapt, innovate, and fight back.

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