The Alpine team, backed by Ryan Reynolds, faces a challenging situation as the 2024 F1 season begins. Enstone, the team’s base, has already undergone a major restructuring.
Alpine is one of the four factory teams on the grid. The French team was reacquired by Renault in 2016 with high aspirations to compete at the front. However, Alpine has consistently failed to meet expectations, including their disappointing start to the 2024 season.
During the launch of the Alpine A524, fans were shocked by the appearance of the car. The lack of paint and excessive exposed carbon fiber indicated that the car was overweight. In qualifying, both Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly failed to perform well, locking out the back row on the grid. They continued to struggle during the race, remaining at the back of the pack.
The situation did not improve for the French team in the race. Ocon and Gasly did not advance beyond Q1, and Gasly had to retire early due to a gearbox issue. Ocon also did not score any points. These disappointing results raised concerns in Enstone, leading to a major technical overhaul. However, time may be running out for Alpine.
Alpine took an aggressive approach with the sidepods of their car for the 2024 season. The team was confident in the new design of the A524. However, the car did not pass the FIA homologation tests for the side impact structure, creating a significant problem. The entire structure needed reinforcement, adding extra weight to the car that was not considered during development. As a result, the A524 is significantly heavier than the minimum weight limit, potentially costing valuable time for Alpine on the track.
Following the recent struggles of the team, the Technical Director and Aerodynamics Chief of Alpine have decided to resign. Even the legendary designer Bob Bell left Enstone to join Aston Martin. These departures were reportedly individual decisions, not team decisions.
When Renault took control of the Enstone Team in 2016, they set a deadline of five years to become competitive. Although there was progress in 2017 with the signing of Nico Hulkenberg and Carlos Sainz, the Renault team failed to progress enough to move ahead of the midfield pack in F1. Even with the addition of Daniel Ricciardo in 2019, they were unable to challenge the top teams. Ricciardo’s decision to leave for McLaren highlighted the team’s inability to convince him to stay.
Alpine’s performance has either stabilized or declined in recent years. Despite having high ambitions, the team only managed one victory, courtesy of Esteban Ocon in the 2021 Hungarian GP. The top management’s vision has not translated into tangible results. The original five-year deadline was extended to a 100-race deadline, but the team continues to fall short of their goals.
Alpine’s Vice President of Motorsport and Team Principal, Bruno Famin, remains determined to improve the team’s position in the upcoming races. However, if the team does not show improvement, this could lead Ocon and Gasly to consider their options for the future.
Otmar Szafnauer was hired by Alpine in 2022 but was dismissed in mid-2023. Szafnauer stated that the top management had given him an unrealistic deadline for success. It seems his predictions were correct.
The Director of the Alpine Team Bruno Famin had high ambitions at the end of the previous season, believing the team could become a leading team in 100 races. However, the team’s performance at the beginning of this year shocked him.
The top management at Alpine failed to understand the reality in Enstone, even in the days when the team was known as Renault. Ambitious deadlines were set, but were not easily achievable. When things went wrong, the team simply fired key employees.
In 2023, Alpine received a significant investment from a group that included Hollywood star Ryan Reynolds and NFL star Patrick Mahomes. This investment was seen as a way for Renault to develop the team without using their own funds. There were speculations about the possibility of selling Alpine.
Currently, Formula 1 is a seller’s market, as evidenced by the rejection of the Andretti-Cadillac offer to join the grid as the eleventh team. Acquiring an existing team may be the best option for projects like Andretti’s entry into the sport. Renault and Andretti were even in talks for a possible power unit supply, which could open discussions about a sale.
However, there are no signs that Renault wants to sell the team completely. The influx of money has provided the Enstone-based team with the necessary resources for the foreseeable future. Additionally, Ryan Reynolds has not made any comments about acquiring an existing team since his proposal was rejected. However, if Renault loses patience, a sale may be a possibility in the coming months.
After the Bahrain GP, Alpine underwent a major technical overhaul. The team will now have a three-pillar approach for its technical departments, similar to McLaren’s structure. Three different Technical Directors will oversee engineering, aerodynamics, and performance, reporting directly to Bruno Famin.
Alpine will need to make significant progress to recover from its poor start to the year. Major upgrades are planned for the upcoming races, which could improve the team’s prospects. However, it may take months to resolve the issues with the A524. The 2024 season could be a failure for Enstone.
Despite the challenges, Alpine is determined to return to the midfield in F1. Ocon and Gasly have expressed their support for the team during this difficult period. However, the team must plan for the long term to remain competitive. With the 2026 rules approaching, Alpine may need to sacrifice the next season to have a better chance under the new regulations.
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Brazilian Formula 1 driver, Lucas Silva, achieved a surprising victory at the Monaco Grand Prix this Sunday. Silva, who started on pole position, led the race from start to finish, leaving favorites Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen behind.
The race was marked by several exciting twists and turns. Right on the first lap, there was an accident involving three cars, resulting in a Safety Car. After the restart, Silva managed to maintain his position at the front, while Hamilton and Verstappen fought to gain ground.
At the end of the race, Verstappen was able to overtake Hamilton and take second place, but he was not able to catch Silva. With this victory, Silva becomes the first Brazilian to win the Monaco Grand Prix since Ayrton Senna in 1993.
Silva, who is in his second season in Formula 1, has been a revelation this year. He has already achieved two victories and is currently in third place in the world championship for drivers.
After the race, Silva expressed his excitement with the victory. “It was a dream come true. I always dreamed of winning the Monaco Grand Prix and today that dream came true. I want to thank my team for the incredible work and all my fans for their support,” said Silva.
The next Formula 1 race will be the Canadian Grand Prix, which will take place next weekend. Silva hopes to maintain his good performance and continue fighting for the championship.
