Alpine Formula 1 boss Bruno Famin insists the team must be “ready” to act in the face of a “high-risk” driver market that could occur this season.
Famin acknowledged that the team is happy with its current driver lineup, but both Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly will be out of contract at the end of this season.
With more than half of the grid’s drivers still finalizing their plans for 2025, Famin does not rule out the possibility of a reshuffle for the Anglo-French team next season.
The newly appointed Alpine team boss admitted they must be prepared in case the next driver market triggers movements in the field.
“Currently, we are happy with our drivers,” Famin told F1 TV. “We have two skilled drivers with a positive mindset and attitude, but we recognize that the season could bring surprises. Who knows? Let’s wait and see.
“There is a significant possibility of an unpredictable season, and we need to be ready for anything.
“We have started discussions with both and need to reach agreements and assess the market.”
Alpine had a challenging start to the season, with their A524 challenger proving to be uncompetitive and unable to challenge for positions in Q3 or points in the early races.
Famin admitted that this result was not entirely unexpected for the Enstone-based team, but expressed surprise at starting from the back row in Bahrain.
“Of course, when we presented the car, we were cautious because we anticipated that the first races would be tough,” Famin stated. “Unfortunately, they were, but being on the back row of the grid in Bahrain was a shock to everyone, to be honest.
“However, this served as a wake-up call for us to change our approach, our organization, make it more agile and efficient, and that is exactly what we are doing with the changes we have implemented, especially in Enstone. We are on the right track.”
Despite the disappointing start, Famin remains hopeful about the team’s response to the situation and awaits significant developments.
“But I am pleased with the team’s response at the factory. Everyone understood that we needed to make changes, and now everyone is committed to driving these changes. I hope everyone works hard not only on the development of the car, but also on improving our organization and processes for future projects,” he concluded.
