Furious F1 team staff might refuse to ‘start the cars’ after the summer break

Follow us on Google Discover

Every Formula 1 team must shut its factory down for two weeks during the summer break. This is required under the rules, and they face penalties if they don’t comply.

The teams can choose when they want to lock the doors for a fortnight. The break began on Monday following the Belgian Grand Prix and runs until the week of 19 August, when they’ll start setting up their facilities at the Dutch GP.

Before, after, or either side of the shutdown, the teams have a valuable opportunity to work on their car. Some may already be turning their attention to their 2025 challengers, but most will still be predominantly focused on 2024.

The development plans for the remainder of the season will likely be put in place in August. That makes it a crucial period in determining the outcome of the championship.

Red Bull currently lead the constructors’ but McLaren have cut their advantage to 42 amid the struggles of Sergio Perez. Mercedes’ resurgence has likely come too late to challenge – they’re 143 off the pace – but they can target Ferrari in third.

Aston Martin, a lonely fifth, may be one of those who begin to prioritise 2025. RB and Haas are scrapping for sixth behind them, and then there’s the distinct bottom three of Alpine, Williams and Sauber.

Alpine staff may proceed with strike action as anger grows

It emerged last week that there were ‘very real fears’ of a strike at Alpine’s Viry factory. This comes as the team pivot to an external engine supply deal.

Alpine have agreed a deal to run Mercedes power units, likely from 2026. This would spell the end of their F1 powertrain operation, even if the Viry plant would remain in use for other projects.

Now, according to L’Equipe, the proposed strike could proceed. One employee has told the publication that ‘we might not start the cars’.

Alpine will be hoping to push towards Haas and RB in the final 10 races after a positive P9 finish for Esteban Ocon at Spa. But internal disruption could derail those efforts as the uncertainty around the team’s future takes its toll.

Brand new team could replace Alpine on 2026 F1 grid

On Wednesday morning, Alpine confirmed that Oliver Oakes would replace Bruno Famin as their team principal. Rather than losing his job, Famin will instead oversee the non-F1 projects at Viry.

Oakes leaves his post as the head of the Hitech team, who race in F2 and F3 among other series. But it might not mark the end of his involvement.

Last year, the Briton unsuccessfully applied for a future place on the F1 grid. Now, though, there’s talk that Hitech could buy Alpine ahead of the 2026 season, taking a different route into the sport.

Alpine have already started testing a new-look engine for the revised regulations. General Motors are apparently interested in buying it to boost Andretti’s chances of receiving approval.