Bruno Famin leaving Alpine could now cost ‘tremendous’ driver chance to replace Esteban Ocon

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Bruno Famin leaving his position as the team principal of Alpine could also now cost one driver their chance to replace Esteban Ocon from the 2025 Formula 1 campaign.

The Enstone natives are continuing their season of changes that started before a wheel even turned in anger in March. Alpine have announced that Famin will step down from his role by the end of August after just under a year in charge, with the search for a successor ongoing.

Famin took over at Alpine after replacing Otmar Szafnauer following the 2023 Belgian Grand Prix. He initially headed to Enstone in an interim capacity as the vice president of the Alpine Motorsport group. But Famin took Alpine’s Formula 1 team principal role fully this February.

Bruno Famin leaving Alpine jeopardises Mick Schumacher’s F1 return hopes

Now, however, Famin is the latest name heading through the exit doors at Alpine as Renault tries to get its Formula 1 brand back on course. Technical director Matt Harman and head of aerodynamics Dirk de Beer were the first to resign after giving notice before the Bahrain GP.

Alpine are even changing their driver line-up after announcing that Ocon will leave when his contract expires after the 2024 Formula 1 season. The team sought to part with the 27-year-old after Ocon and teammate Pierre Gasly crashed on the first lap of the Monaco Grand Prix.

READ MORE: Five unforgettable Belgian GP from Schumacher vs Hakkinen to a 13 car crash

A handful of names are in the running to replace Ocon, with reserve driver Jack Doohan the favourite to join Alpine ahead of Carlos Sainz. Yet another name Famin had weighed up for Alpine’s soon-to-be vacant drive was to bring Mick Schumacher back to the Formula 1 grid.

But Sky Germany now reports that Famin leaving Alpine could jeopardise Schumacher’s bid to replace Ocon. The 25-year-old is an Alpine driver in the World Endurance Championship (WEC) but craves a return to F1. Famin was also an advocate of Schumacher replacing Ocon.

Alpine have even run Schumacher in their 2022 car at Paul Ricard, despite being a Mercedes Formula 1 reserve driver. His simulator role with the Silver Arrows has even seen Toto Wolff praise Schumacher for the ‘tremendous’ benefits the German’s feedback delivers Mercedes.

Mick Schumacher’s only hope for an F1 seat is to replace Esteban Ocon

But Famin leaving Alpine by the end of August may see Schumacher miss out on a return to Formula 1 as Renault’s next hire as their team principal might not want the son of Michael Schumacher to replace Ocon. A seat with Alpine is likely Schumacher’s only option for 2025.

READ MORE: F1 2025 driver line-up with every team’s confirmed entry for the grid

Yet the feedback that Schumacher astounds Wolff with for Mercedes may help to convince Famin’s replacement that he is worth Alpine signing. The Enstone outfit have seen a raft of top staff members leave this season, with the first quitting before the racing even started.

Harman and De Beer gave Alpine their notices before the Bahrain Grand Prix as pre-season testing showed the team had developed an overweight car which also lacked downforce. It started the 2024 season as the slowest car on the grid and did not score points before May.