Alpine boss makes Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly ‘relentless’ promise at launch of 2024 F1 car

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Alpine technical director Matt Harman promised Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly that the F1 team will ‘relentlessly upgrade’ the A524 in 2024 at the launch of the new car.

Aided by reserve driver Jack Doohan, the Renault-owned squad took the covers of their new machine this Wednesday. Alpine also unveiled two liveries for the A524 in collaboration with artist, Felipe Pantone. They will run a mostly blue livery for 16 races and a pink one for eight.

Formula 1 will embark on its record-breaking 24-round calendar in 2024. So, BWT – Alpine’s main sponsor – asked the Enstone outfit to increase the number of races where they deploy a pink livery. Ocon and Gasly will, likely, just hope the A524 moves Alpine closer to the front.

Alpine unveil the A524 car for the 2024 Formula 1 season

Alpine regressed between 2022 to 2023 as Gasly arrived to replace Fernando Alonso in the garage next to Ocon. The Renault-owned outfit finished the 2022 constructors’ standings in fourth with 173 points. But they finished 2023 in no man’s land in sixth place with only 120.

Aston Martin – whom Alonso joined in 2023 – ended last year in fifth place with 280 points. Williams, meanwhile, finished the season in seventh but with just 28 points. Gasly recorded 62 of Alpine’s 120 points to secure P11 in the drivers’ standings above Ocon in 12th with 58.

Harman promises Ocon and Gasly ‘relentless’ upgrades

The A524 will now mark the start of a new era for Alpine, the team hopes, after developing a new concept. Harman said, via Motorsport.com: “The A524 approach has been aggressive but deliberate in the fact we are creating a wider scope to add performance to the car.

“We have really focused on learning and reacting to what we have learned, rather than on results. The project has been bold where we have focused on realising concepts, which we aim to add to the car.

“We’ve built ourselves a strong platform to add performance when we can and we have set ourselves targets to deliver those.”

Alpine technical director Harman has also promised Gasly and Ocon that the team will bring regular upgrades for the A524. But the Enstone outfit will not know its potential until it hits a track. Pre-season testing runs from February 21 until 23 before the Bahrain GP on March 2.

Harman added, via quotes by Speedcafe: “We’ll see where we are at the Bahrain test. But we’ll relentlessly upgrade this car.”

Gasly will no doubt hope Alpine have addressed some fundamental problems with their car for the 2024 F1 season. The 28-year-old lamented the A523 in December for lacking power, electrical energy and aerodynamic development compared to their rivals, such as McLaren.