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Alpine’s bold balancing act: Why 2025 won’t be a throwaway season despite 2026 shake-up

Harry Bright by Harry Bright
January 20, 2025
in Motorsports
Reading Time: 3 mins read
0
Pierre Gasly Enjoys a “Cool” Moment on His Way to P3 in Las Vegas GP Qualifying

Nov 22, 2024; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; BWT Alpine driver Pierre Gasly (10) during qualifying at Las Vegas Circuit. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

As Formula 1 prepares for a seismic shift in regulations come 2026, the strategic decisions teams make now could shape the grid for years. Alpine boss Oliver Oakes, however, is adamant: writing off the 2025 season is a move only those with a “poor off-season” would make. His defiant stance comes as the team aims to solidify its place in F1’s upper echelons, building on its 2024 momentum.

Why 2025 is crucial—despite looming 2026 changes

Oakes, who joined Alpine as team principal last August, has already overseen a dramatic turnaround, lifting the team from ninth to sixth in the Constructors’ Championship. With ambitious targets set by Executive Advisor Flavio Briatore, including podium finishes in 50% of 2026 races and a title push by 2027, Alpine is walking a tightrope between short-term gains and long-term transformation.

“You’d love to make loads of improvements, but you’re a bit limited with the budget cap and focusing on 2026,” Oakes admitted. “You’ve got to decide: do you write off ’25 and focus only on ’26 and ’27?”

But for Oakes, scrapping 2025 development is a move for teams already floundering. “When I read some of that recently, I thought, well, that’s because some teams know they’re already not finding the performance they want for 2025,” he said.

Alpine’s roadmap: Stability, culture, and decisive choices

Under Oakes’ leadership, Alpine has focused on building stability and a winning culture. “The first step was to come in, support the team, give it some stability and leadership,” Oakes explained. “The second step is putting it in the direction we want to go—whether that’s driver lineup, power unit decisions, or strategic choices.”

With the 2026 transition in mind, Alpine made the groundbreaking decision to abandon its works engine division in favor of becoming a Mercedes customer team. The move, championed by Briatore, reflects Alpine’s commitment to cutting-edge competitiveness, even at the cost of losing in-house engine development.

“This isn’t about short-term wins; it’s about setting up Alpine to challenge for titles,” Briatore emphasized.

Driver lineup: A wealth of choices, but pressure mounts

The 2025 season will see Pierre Gasly paired with rookie Jack Doohan. While Gasly’s place is secure, the jury is out on Doohan, who faces intense scrutiny to prove his worth. Complicating matters is the addition of Franco Colapinto, poached from Williams on a multi-year deal.

Though Colapinto will serve as a reserve driver in 2025, Oakes has made it clear that underperformance won’t be tolerated. Should Doohan falter, Alpine won’t hesitate to promote Colapinto, further underlining the team’s focus on results.

Looking ahead: 2025 as a proving ground

Oakes views 2025 as a pivotal year for Alpine, not just a stepping stone to 2026. “We’re not going to accept walking to the back of the grid,” he declared. “We want to be in the midfield and eventually at the front. But that doesn’t happen overnight.”

For Alpine, balancing resources between the 2025 campaign and 2026 preparation is a delicate but necessary challenge. With high expectations and a reinvigorated team culture, Oakes is determined to ensure Alpine remains competitive, even as the sport’s landscape shifts dramatically.

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