Speculations about the future of Alpine in Formula 1 were fueled by comments made by former team boss Eddie Jordan. Jordan described Alpine as an “embarrassing” team that is “wide open” for a possible acquisition. Currently, Alpine is at the bottom of the constructors’ championship with no points after four rounds. This contrasts sharply with their performance last year, where they finished sixth with 120 points and had podiums with Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon. Alongside Sauber and Williams, Alpine has been struggling this season. The poor performance has led to rumors of a possible sale, but an Alpine spokesperson firmly denied these claims. They stated that the team is not for sale and is committed to improving their position.
Speculations about the future of Alpine were sparked by comments from Eddie Jordan, former team boss. He expressed his belief that Renault, Alpine’s parent company, is scaling back its involvement and hesitating to invest in the necessary upgrades for their 2026 power unit. This has raised doubts about Alpine’s presence on the F1 grid next year. Additionally, rival teams have criticized Alpine’s ambitious “100 race project,” which aims for regular podiums by 2024. They are skeptical about the feasibility of this project considering the upcoming changes in F1 regulations.
The situation at Alpine is further complicated by the possible departure of their French drivers, Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon. Both drivers are Grand Prix winners and their contracts expire at the end of the season. With several other drivers also reaching the end of their contracts, there could be significant movement in the driver market for the 2024 season. It is important to note that a seat at Mercedes is open after Lewis Hamilton’s move to Ferrari. Other teams, such as Red Bull and Aston Martin, may also have openings.
Alpine has undergone frequent leadership changes, with Bruno Famin currently serving as team principal. Famin took over from Otmar Szafnauer last August and permanently assumed the role in February. However, he is already facing considerable pressure, according to Ted Kravitz. In terms of performance this year, Alpine has been disappointing, with positions far from the points-scoring places in all four races. The team has also seen high-profile departures, including sporting director Alan Permane, CEO Laurent Rossi, technical director Matt Harman, and chief aerodynamicist Dirk de Beer, following a restructuring.
Despite their current difficulties, Alpine received significant investments last year from celebrities such as actor Ryan Reynolds, footballer Trent Alexander-Arnold, and golfer Rory McIlroy. These investors likely expect better results from a team that won two world championships in the 2000s under the Renault brand.
