Alpine boss outlines ‘priority’ to hand Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly a faster F1 car

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Alpine boss Bruno Famin has outlined why the Renault-owned Formula 1 team are not investing in a new wind tunnel and are instead prioritising upgrades to their simulator.

The Enstone natives fell down the pecking order last season after Pierre Gasly joined to race beside compatriot Esteban Ocon. Together, they only amassed 120 points to claim sixth spot in the constructors’ championship. Alpine were the fourth-best squad in 2022 on 173 points.

Gasly and Ocon each afforded Alpine one podium last season with third-place finishes at the Dutch and Monaco GPs respectively. The Frenchmen were also evenly matched with 62 and 58 points each. But their efforts also only secured P11 and P12 in the drivers’ championship.

Alpine have embraced an ‘aggressive’ F1 car design after their regression in 2023

In an effort to revert their regression in 2024, Alpine have embraced what technical director Matt Harman calls an ‘aggressive’ design philosophy. The team focused on a wider scope to develop their A524. But Ocon says Alpine must be ‘humble and realistic’ early in the season.

Embracing a new concept may see Alpine shoot back up F1’s grid or struggle in the first few rounds. Ocon also did not finish higher than P8 in the first five Grand Prix last year before his P3 result in Monaco. It took Gasly until his podium in round 13 to finish higher than seventh.

Bruno Famin feels a new wind tunnel is not a ‘big topic’ for the Renault-owned team

But Alpine team principal Famin says the Renault-owned F1 outfit are not rushing to develop the wind tunnel in Enstone to afford Ocon and Gasly a faster car. Instead, they are investing in the simulator equipment at their factory to better understand their new design ideas first.

Famin does not feel a new wind tunnel is a ‘big topic’ with Alpine fixated on investing in the simulator. Even though Benetton first built the wind tunnel in Enstone to develop their B199 for 1999. It has since required frequent upgrades from Renault, Lotus and as Renault again.

“That’s not a big topic,” Famin declared, as quoted by Motorsport-Total. “We are investing in new simulator equipment. That is a priority for us and a lot more than the wind tunnel.”