F1 boss only ‘thinks’ his team are ‘happy’ with both drivers ahead of 2024 season

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Alpine team principal Bruno Famin only ‘thinks’ the Renault-owned Formula 1 team are ‘happy’ with both, Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon, ahead of the 2024 season starting.

The Enstone outfit have confirmed that Famin will continue in his role as team principal this year. He took over on an interim basis when Alpine fired Otmar Szafnauer at the Belgian GP last August. Famin further doubles his time as the VP of Alpine’s overall motorsport division.

Famin and Alpine now face two big decisions this year as Gasly and Ocon will both be out of contract after the upcoming Formula 1 campaign. Ocon penned his most recent deal to race at the outfit in June 2021. While Gasly joined Alpine on an initial two-year contract last year.

Ocon and Gasly secured Alpine one podium each in the 2023 F1 season

Ocon arrived in Enstone for the team’s final season racing as Renault in 2020 and even won Alpine the 2021 Hungarian GP. The 27-year-old has since returned to the podium with third at the 2023 Monaco GP. But he scored his fewest points in a season in Enstone during 2023.

The Frenchman amassed just 58 points last year to fall from eighth on 92 points in the 2022 drivers’ championship to 12th. While Gasly gave Alpine a further 62 points to secure P11 in the drivers’ standings. The 28-year-old also enjoyed one podium with third at the Dutch GP.

Famin explains Alpine’s stance on offering Ocon and Gasly new contracts

Alpine are already speaking with Ocon and Gasly about their futures in Enstone, and Famin insists Lewis Hamilton agreeing to join Ferrari in 2025 did not spark the decision. He is also clear that the former FIA deputy secretary general was pleased with their results last year.

“We have not waited for Hamilton going to Ferrari to talk to our drivers,” he told Autosport. “We are talking permanently to our drivers. I’m very happy with the relationship with have with them, with the communication we have with them and the job they are doing.

“We regularly talk to them. We talked before Hamilton and after. To be honest, we all, of course, have a look on the drivers’ market. We have also our academy and it is our duty to see what is going on, to know what is going [on].”

But while Famin is pleased with Ocon and Gasly, the team principal only ‘thinks’ that Alpine share his personal position. Alpine will also not make any decisions about offering their two drivers new contracts before the Renault-owned outfit sees how their new A524 performs.

“They know what we think,” he added. “They know also how F1 works. There is no duplicity. And that’s why it’s important to talk regularly to each other, to put everything on the table.

“Again, I think we’re happy with them. Let’s wait for the first race and the performance of the car. But I understand they’re happy with the team.”