Fernando Alonso hints at Alpine change causing F1 team’s ‘surprising’ woes

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Fernando Alonso admits the Aston Martin driver has found it ‘difficult’ to see Alpine struggle at the start of 2024 and feels their change in leadership caused their issues.

The Renault-owned outfit rank last in the constructors’ championship ahead of this Sunday’s Australian GP following two difficult rounds. Alpine are yet to score a point with Pierre Gasly taking P18 at the Bahrain GP, while Esteban Ocon took P17 and P13 at the Saudi Arabian GP.

Gasly did not complete more than the first lap in Jeddah last time out as his A524 developed a gearbox problem. He now returns to Melbourne still trying to get the 28-year-old’s second season in Enstone started. Gasly took P13 at the 2023 Australian GP, in front of Ocon in P14.

Fernando Alonso admits it is ‘difficult to see’ Alpine at the back of F1

Alpine have already made huge changes to their leadership structure in response to building an overweight car, which also lacks downforce. Technical director Matt Harman plus head of aerodynamics Dirk de Beer resigned before the Bahrain GP when testing proved their issues.

Harman and De Beer’s departures also followed Alpine sacking former team principal Otmar Szafnauer and sporting director Alan Permane, as chief technical officer Pat Fry also left, at the Belgian GP in 2023. Alpine were sixth in the constructors’ championship after 11 rounds.

Alpine Motorsports vice-president Bruno Famin replaced Szafnauer and has remained as the Renault-owned outfit’s F1 team principal in 2024. But Famin would not guide Alpine beyond sixth in the 2023 teams’ standings and their problems to begin 2024 now disappoint Alonso.

“When I was there, obviously I had a great time,” Alonso stated, via quotes by F1i. “Most of the team when I was in Alpine were the same people as we had in Renault, and is the team that I will always love and will have in my heart. So, it’s difficult to see when they are at the back. But, hopefully, they can find more performance.”

Fernando Alonso hints Bruno Famin changed the atmosphere in Enstone

Alonso returned to Enstone by joining Alpine in 2021 having won his two F1 titles for Renault in 2005 and 2006. The 42-year-old quit to join Aston Martin ahead of the 2023 season, with Gasly taking his seat. But Alonso hints Famin’s arrival has changed the atmosphere at Alpine.

He added: “This is difficult to comment from the outside. It’s a team that I love, a team that gave me a lot of great things in my career. So, I hope they can get better. When I was there, obviously, the team maybe was different.

“It was a great atmosphere, it was a good performance, as well, especially [in] 2022. We were within the top five, top six in every race of the year. So, it is a bit surprising to see the current results. But, hopefully, they fix things quickly.”