Alpine F1 dismisses sale rumors and strategically strengthens its team, eyeing a competitive 2026.
The season start was disastrous for Alpine F1. The French team has somewhat recovered (notably with developments or the point scored by Esteban Ocon in Miami), but the results remain distinctly disappointing for a factory team.
How then can we explain that Alpine went from a mid-grid team to a back-of-the-grid team at the start of the year?
Bruno Famin, who has taken over the operations, addressed the issue: for him, it is primarily the rivals of Alpine F1 who have made progress.
“We have not progressed quickly enough.”
“We’ve improved the car, we’ve improved the team, but not quickly enough. Others have done a better job, and now we need to change our mindset, we need to change our approach, and that’s what we’ve started to do over the past few months with the restructuring of the technical department at Enstone.”
The recent recruitment of David Sanchez, from McLaren F1, gives Famin hope: things are finally moving in the right direction for Alpine F1 and hope is being renewed…
It is also revealed that Sanchez did not leave McLaren F1 to join Alpine F1, but the French team seized the opportunity of his immediate availability.
“We had some very good news recently with the arrival of David Sanchez, which is a bit of icing on the cake because to be frank and transparent, it was not planned! Just a few weeks ago, no one knew he would be available, but he will be a very valuable high-level addition to our plan aimed at improving the team’s operations and advancing faster than others.”
“This is the short and medium-term plan to regain our place, first in the mid-grid and then – in the medium term – to fight for podiums, hopefully.”
Alpine F1 is not for sale, let it be known…
With such a crisis on board, one might legitimately think that Luca de Meo would consider selling Alpine F1, probably for a good billion.
But no: the Italian boss has reaffirmed his faith in the F1 project.
Bruno Famin confirms: Alpine F1 is not for sale. And thus neither is the chassis factory at Enstone, which would be the first threatened.
“Alpine isn’t just in Formula 1 to be in Formula 1; it’s because we have a much broader vision which is to develop the brand globally. Alpine is an exciting, sporty brand, well-known in France but not so much outside of France.”
“As it’s a sporty brand, the decision was made, the strategy is to build brand recognition through motorsport, and what formula is known globally everywhere in the world? It’s Formula 1. And that’s why we are in Formula 1, to develop brand recognition.”
Bruno Famin emphasizes that Alpine F1 is not just a sporting project for Renault, but also a marketing project for the whole group…
“Of course, we have ambitions from a sporting perspective; we want to fight. We know that at the moment we are not where we wanted to be and we have a lot to do to develop the team, to develop the project.”
“I see many possibilities for improvement throughout the team, and the project is truly fascinating. It’s true that we have the sporting side, but we also have everything that surrounds the sporting side with communication, marketing, and we have our new investors who arrived last year with very well-known sporting names around the world.”
Alpine F1 continues to develop its car but doesn’t forget 2026.
The point scored in Miami by Esteban Ocon is a source of hope—but Bruno Famin is not satisfied. It’s an opportunity for the French boss to discuss car development.
“I think we still have a long way to go… A long way to go. I’m not satisfied with the start of the season, of course, but I’m very pleased with the team’s reaction because we were able to make improvements earlier than expected.”
“We had a new floor on one of the cars in Shanghai, whereas we were supposed to have only the two new floors in Miami. In Miami, the car hit the weight limit for the first time, earlier than expected, but to be frank, these are small things. These are minor improvements and we need more.”
“Of course, I’m very happy that we were able to go faster than planned; now, we need to plan more developments and bring more to regain the position we expect.”
But Alpine F1 must manage two projects simultaneously, as beyond this season, it’s the major regulatory pivot of 2026 that must not be missed.
And let’s recall that at the last major engine regulation change in 2014, Viry missed the mark.
“This is really what we have in mind—2026 will be a significant milestone. We all know that major changes in the regulations are normally a massive opportunity to shake up the hierarchy, and it’s really the goal to prepare the team as best as possible to develop good cars from the 2026 regulations, that’s for sure. That’s why we are doing what we’re doing now in terms of restructuring.”
Alpine F1 Not For Sale, Focus Shifts to 2026 Goals. Alpine F1 Not For Sale, Focus Shifts to 2026 Goals
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