Alpine seems to be facing tough times ahead in Formula 1. After a disappointing season last year, there are concerns that it may be repeated in 2024, to the point that drivers Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly seem interested in leaving – or rather, not renewing their contracts that end this year.
According to the Motorsport.com website, journalist Pedro Fermín reports that both drivers have already requested their respective agents to look for alternatives in the field. However, better options for 2025 may not exist. Ferrari has Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc at the end of their contracts, but at least the Monegasque is expected to renew.
Aston Martin has no one confirmed, but it seems that the continuity of Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll is more dependent on the drivers’ desires. One possibility would be Sauber (or Stake F1 Team), since there are rumors that Ocon is one of Audi’s main desires – a manufacturer that will have Sauber as its factory team from 2026 onwards.
McLaren, on the other hand, seems to be solidly betting on young drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, while Red Bull has Max Verstappen secured until 2028. It would hardly be of interest for Gasly to return to replace Sergio Pérez, and moreover, there are other contenders within the Austrian program itself – with Daniel Ricciardo and Yuki Tsunoda at the forefront. As for Mercedes, they will have George Russell and Lewis Hamilton until the end of 2025, at least.
It should be noted that last year Alpine finished sixth in the constructors’ championship, and despite achieving podium finishes, it had much worse results than in 2022. Along the way, executive director Laurent Rossi, team principal Otmar Szafnauer, sporting director Alan Permane, technical director Pat Fry, and supervisor of the Alpine Academy, Davide Brivio, left. A certain internal instability that does not augur well for a promising future under the current leadership of Bruno Famin.
