Chaos at Alpine: Famin Steps Down, and Engine Supplier Shift Looms
Chaos continues at Alpine as Bruno Famin has been confirmed to step down from his role as Alpine’s team principal by the end of August.
Famin, 62, took over after Otmar Szafnauer was ousted in July 2023 due to a disagreement with the Renault board regarding the realism of their long-term ambitions.
After a year of disappointment for the Enstone-based team, Famin’s departure marks the third team principal to leave Alpine in the past two years. Alpine has stated that their new team principal will be announced in due course.
Rumours suggest that Oliver Oakes, head of Hitech in Formula 2 and 3, could take on the role, but it might also be Flavio Briatore, who has returned to the team as an executive advisor. There will be changes in their 2025 driver lineup as Esteban Ocon was dropped from the team.
Concerning his departure, Famin stated during a press conference, “I will step down from the team principal role by the end of August and be fully dedicated to the Viry-Chatillon activities from the 1st of September.”
“Considering the stakes of the new project, I think it will be much more useful for the company to dedicate my time, to concentrate my time on the Viry activities and the transformation project, if it’s confirmed, because it will have a huge impact,” added Famin.
Key staff departures and new appointments
Famin’s departure is unsurprising, as Alpine aims to rebuild and return to being one of the top midfield teams, like they were in 2022, achieving P4 in the constructors’ standings.
Since then, the team has struggled, with many senior staff departing, including Technical Director Matt Harman and Head of Aerodynamics Dirk de Beer. This follows the dismissal of Team Principal Otmar Szafnauer and Sporting Director Alan Permane during the 2023 Belgian Grand Prix weekend, alongside Chief Technical Officer Pat Fry’s move to Williams.
Former CEO Laurent Rossi was also sidelined in an internal coup, replaced by Bruno Famin, who later became the permanent team principal.
The team has recently undergone a technical restructure, appointing David Sanchez as Executive Technical Director, Michael Broadhurst as Chief Aerodynamicist, and Vin Dhanani as Head of Vehicle Performance. Additionally, the infamous Flavio Briatore was appointed Executive Advisor in June, focusing on top-level team areas.
Alpine’s potential engine partnership with Mercedes
Alpine is considering halting its F1 engine production and becoming a customer for engines starting in 2026. Mercedes is one of the suppliers they’re considering.
McLaren, Aston Martin, and Williams (along with Mercedes itself) all use Mercedes engines, though Aston Martin is set to switch to Honda in 2026. Toto Wolff from Mercedes has expressed openness to supplying engines to Alpine, allowing them to concentrate on their chassis and integration projects with Mercedes instead of continuing to invest in their engine program — a venture that has struggled to remain competitive for years.
With half of the 2024 season still to go, Alpine sits 8th in the constructors’ standings with just 9 points. Given the ongoing structural changes, can Alpine reclaim its position as a top midfield team?
