The start of the Alpine Formula 1 season has been incredibly poor, resulting in significant changes in technical leadership. After the Bahrain Grand Prix, technical director Matt Harman and chief aerodynamicist Dirk De Beer resigned, further damaging the team’s already tarnished reputation. This reorganization marks another blow to the credibility of the Renault Group-owned team, which has been struggling since acquiring the Enstone team in 2016. The new technical structure now consists of three directors: Joe Burnell overseeing engineering, Ciaron Pilbeam in charge of performance, and David Wheater leading the aerodynamics department. While a new leadership team may not have an immediate impact in Formula 1, the urgency to improve Alpine’s performance is evident.
At the launch of the Alpine A524, Famin acknowledged that the start of the season could be challenging. However, the team’s performance in Bahrain was much worse than expected, with the car being the slowest in both qualifying and the race. Several issues are affecting the car, with the main concern being its excessive weight. Reports suggest that the car is 11kg above the minimum required weight of 798kg. Although Pierre Gasly has downplayed the severity of the issue, confirming it as a problem, it is still a major setback for Alpine.
The weight problem stems from the failure of the monocoque to pass the side impact test. The monocoque was initially designed with weight-saving measures, resulting in empty spaces within the carbon fiber structure. Although simulations indicated that the design was strong enough, the monocoque failed the test. As a result, the monocoque had to be reinforced, leading to a substantial weight increase. Additionally, the car lacks traction and downforce, especially at the rear, due to the aerodynamic performance targets not being met.
Another challenge faced by Alpine is a power deficit of approximately 15-20bhp. Despite modifications to the 2024 car to minimize power losses, the issue persists. This includes changes to the exhaust design. As a result of these setbacks, Alpine’s qualifying performance in Bahrain was 1.6 seconds slower than the leading teams. In comparison, McLaren improved by 1.767 seconds from the previous year. Alpine’s hopes lie in a new concept focused on suspension modifications, which could unlock further development potential. However, it remains uncertain whether the team fully understands the interaction between aerodynamics and mechanical platforms.
Although Bahrain has historically been a challenging track for Alpine, offering some hope for improvement, the team faces significant disruptions. The news of Harman and De Beer’s resignations leaked during race weekend, causing a destabilizing effect. This disruption adds to ongoing doubts about Renault’s commitment to the team and its ability to provide the resources and facilities needed to compete at the front of the grid.
The difficulties of Alpine indicate deeper institutional and ownership issues within the Renault F1 teams. The constant turnover of team principals and technical leaders raises questions about the long-term success of the team. Despite Famin’s commendable work ethic and efforts to improve communication and collaboration within Alpine F1, it is still unclear if he has the autonomy and resources necessary for success.
The future of the Alpine F1 project is now in question, and Renault’s credibility is at stake. The team’s history since 2016 suggests a cycle of intermediate success, regression, and leadership changes that leads nowhere. To prove that Alpine is different, the team must demonstrate significant progress in 2026 after these recent changes.
© 2024
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