If you inspect the DNA and history of the Alpine F1 team, you see names like Benetton. With this comes Michael Schumacher and two World Drivers Championships. Closer to the modern day you have Renault, who won two Constructors and a Driver’s Championship.
However, bring yourself back to the present day and you find yourself with a team who seemingly can’t figure out what they want, who they want, and what they’re doing.
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Within the past few months, Alpine has been letting staff go and stacking new ones on top like a game of Jenga. So, which block is going to be the one to take them all down?
The most recent block to be plucked by Alpine is Esteban Ocon, and it won’t be an easy one to replace. Since Ocon returned to F1 following his hiatus in 2019, where he remained as Mercedes reserve driver, he has proven himself worthy of a seat year after year.
In 2021, he handed Alpine their first victory. Showing his maturity in a dominant win at the 2021 Hungarian Grand Prix.
Now, like other successful drivers such as Carlos Sainz, he finds himself without a seat for next year in what is poised to be a silly season like no others. As with any job, drivers can lose their seat if the team feels like they aren’t suitable anymore. But, as it could be the case here, a fallout with the boss can lead to a contract being ripped in two as well.
In Monaco last week, Ocon had committed himself to an overtake on his teammate Pierre Gasly. It was a move in which ultimately led to his carbon-laced Alpine being flung into the air and having to retire from the race. As the race continued. Alpine Vice President and Team Principal Bruno Famin told the French Channel Canal+ that there would be “appropriate consequences.”
Is Ocon leaving Alpine the consequence that Famin was talking about?
Likely not. Does it look good for the team? Definitely not. However, this is a team who, since the first race of the season, has been looking constantly unstable.
Photo Credit: BWT Alpine F1 Team
The year had started off with the Enstone based team trying to take a McLaren inspired approach with their technical director role. This would see them splitting the role into three separate positions, commonly referred to as the three pillars structure. These covered engineering, aerodynamics, and performance.
This was a major organisational change that came in only after the first round, when many media outlets had labelled Alpine as the least competitive car. Having technical director Matt Harman and head of aerodynamics Dirk de Beer resigning after the first race of the season. Already giving notes of what was to come.
Since this change, Alpine has garnered only two points in the Constructors Championship, with both being split one each for Gasly and Ocon. Neither driver has looked particularly progressive, but these are two race winning competitors with plenty of experience.
Alpine had not only looked to McLaren for inspiration regarding structural organisation, but they have also begun taking their staff. David Sanchez was only at McLaren for three months, joining from Ferrari, before Alpine snatched him up to become their Executive Technical Director.
The team has moved from being the fourth best team in the championship two years ago, to now being one of the worst.
Celebrating victories and podiums has been boiled down to celebrating a singular point
In moments of confusion and uncertainty, what you need is some level-headed veterans within the team who have been through tough times and know how to get through them. Alpine does not agree with this logic, as three days ago they sacked Rob White. The director of operations, who had been at Alpine’s parent company Renault for 20 years.
Rob White was there when Fernando Alonso had won the championship two years in a row with Renault. He knows what it takes to be successful.
This restructure process begun last year when Team Principal Otmar Szafnauer and Alan Permane left. One of the most experienced sporting directors in the sport and the team principal. Chief Technical Officer Pat Fry followed in their footsteps that same weekend. Leaving to go to Williams where he remains today.
Creating an effective team isn’t just about bringing in the best of the best. People need time to settle into their roles, understand the people around them and the team’s objectives. A certain chemistry needs to be built amongst the team, and that takes time.
Making comments on live television threatening consequences for their drivers has been hailed as unprofessional. Those are comments for behind closed doors. Arguably, before Famin makes anymore statements, he needs to sort out his team first.
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