The head of the Alpine F1 team, Bruno Famin, announced that they will be introducing updates to their Formula 1 car at the upcoming Japanese Grand Prix. These updates aim to reduce the weight of their challenging A524, which has been deemed uncompetitive and overweight. Despite their current position at the bottom of the Constructors’ Championship, Famin remains optimistic and believes that these updates will help improve their understanding of the car’s potential.
The first set of updates will include a new front wing and a step towards weight reduction. While these updates may not be considered major, they are crucial for Alpine to assess their car’s capabilities and continuously improve its performance. Famin emphasizes the importance of adding these elements as soon as possible.
Alpine driver Esteban Ocon provided a glimmer of hope for the team during the last race in Australia. He managed to reach Q2, breaking the streak of early eliminations in Q1. However, Famin acknowledges that the unique characteristics of the Albert Park Circuit played a significant role in Alpine’s improved performance. He believes that their progress is still far from the desired goal.
Famin, who has now permanently taken on the role of Alpine team principal, emphasizes the need for the team to push harder and improve in all areas. He states that they must fight tooth and nail to achieve better results.
Ocon, who started in 15th place in Melbourne, believes that points were within reach if not for an unscheduled pit stop to remove a film from his brake duct. Despite this setback, he remains positive about the car’s performance throughout the weekend and its proximity to other teams.
In addition to the updates, Famin reveals that the color scheme of Alpine will once again feature the predominant blue. The team briefly adopted a pink design in the first two races, but will now return to its traditional colors.
