Everything you need to know about Alpine F1 Team from team principal to lineage

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Alpine became a new name on the Formula 1 grid in 2021 when Renault rebranded its works entry in the pinnacle of motorsport to promote its alternative sports car brand.

Groupe Renault decided to rename its F1 team from Renault as it had revived Alpine with a new version of the A110 in 2018. Alpine was once a force in the world of rally and at the 24 Hours of Le Mans during the 1960s and 1970s. But Alpine was hardly known outside France.

Motorsport was the open goal for Renault to market Alpine, which it took over back in 1973. There are now Alpine teams racing in Formula 1 and the World Endurance Championship, making a top-class Le Mans return in the Hypercar class in 2024 with Mick Schumacher in their line-up.

Alpine F1 Team name

Groupe Renault announced in September 2020 that it was renaming the Renault F1 Team as the Alpine F1 Team in the 2021 season to help promote the French sports car brand globally.

BWT also signed a strategic, long-term partnership with Alpine in February 2022 which gives it title sponsorship. The Austrian water treatment system company also has its pink logos on the team’s F1 cars, and even takes over the full livery for a set number of races each season.

Alpine F1 Team founding year

Groupe Renault, technically, founded the Alpine F1 Team in 2021 when the team adopted a new name. The Formula 1 team they originated from dates back to 1981, having changed through many hands, including being Renault twice, across the years.

Alpine F1 Team current team principal

Flavio Briatore took over from Oliver Oakes as team principal in May 2025 after the latter resigned from his position with “immediate effect” just hours before they confirmed that Franco Colapinto replaced Jack Doohan.

Oakes became the sixth team principal to depart Alpine in five years, after taking over from Bruno Famin and following the sackings of Otmar Szafnauer, Laurent Rossi, Marcin Budkowski, and Cyril Abiteboul.

Alpine F1 Team current drivers

Alpine employ Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto as their two full-time race drivers after dropping Esteban Ocon before the 2024 Formula 1 season finale, the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Ocon exited Enstone one round early as part of his agreement with Alpine to test for Haas at Yas Marina.

Ocon joined the Enstone outfit whilst Alpine were still named Renault in 2020 and won the 2021 Hungarian Grand Prix after the team’s rebrand. Gasly later arrived from AlphaTauri in 2023 to form an all-French driver line-up at Alpine despite his trying relationship with Ocon.

Contact between Ocon and Gasly in the 2024 Monaco Grand Prix would ultimately precede Alpine deciding against renewing the former’s contract due to expire after the season. Haas would sign Ocon for 2025, so he forfeited the race in Abu Dhabi to do the post-season test.

Alpine chose to promote from within to replace Ocon with academy driver Doohan, giving him his Formula 1 debut as Gasly’s teammate. The Renault-owned crew confirmed the Australian as Ocon’s replacement in August 2024, after Alpine also handing Gasly a new contract in June.

After six races in the 2025 F1 season, Alpine decided to replace Doohan with ex-Williams driver Colapinto, having signed him as their reserve driver earlier in the season.

What F1 engine do Alpine use?

After Groupe Renault failed to see its factory F1 engine division in Viry-Chatillon produce a competitive engine under the turbo-hybrid regulations introduced in 2014, the French car giant closed the factory ahead of the 2026 season and secured a customer Mercedes deal.

Team lineage

Alpine can trace the Formula 1 team’s lineage right back to 1981 when Toleman Motorsport first entered the pinnacle of racing. The Toleman squad existed until 1985; before it became Benetton to 2001, Renault to 2010, Lotus Renault in 2011, Lotus to 2015 and Renault, again.

Edward Toleman founded the company after his family’s name in 1926. But it was not until the 1970s when his grandchildren, Ted and Bob, took over that Toleman began competing in motorsport. Toleman, eventually, entered F1 in 1981 and entered 70 grands prix up to 1985.

Toleman made their Formula 1 debut in the 1981 San Marino GP at Imola, now the home of the Emilia Romagna GP. But the team never won a race before leaving F1 following the 1985 Australian GP. Toleman’s best finish was second in the 1984 Monaco GP with Ayrton Senna.

Success followed after the Benetton family purchased Toleman, however. The team entered 260 Grand Prix after debuting in the 1986 Brazilian GP and bowed out at the 2001 Japanese GP. Benetton also won 27 races, plus two drivers’ championships with Michael Schumacher.

Renault then returned to F1 as a constructor in 2002 after buying Benetton in 2000 but did not change the team’s name for two years. The French automotive giant had not had an F1 team since 1985. So, the Renault-Nissan Alliance sealed a $120m (£94m) deal for Benetton.

The original Renault F1 Team between 1977 and 1985 operated in the Viry-Chatillon factory that builds Alpine’s power unit. Renault also won 15 of their 123 Grand Prix entries from the 1977 British GP to the 1985 Australian GP. But Renault’s first titles did not follow until 2005.

Returning to the pinnacle of motorsport by buying Benetton, ultimately, paved the route for Renault’s first drivers’ and constructors’ titles in 2005. They also went back-to-back in 2006 with Fernando Alonso sealing the Spaniard’s two championships beside Giancarlo Fisichella.

Changes in Formula 1’s technical regulations saw Renault struggle to replicate their previous successes. The 2008 Singapore GP even saw their No2 driver, Nelson Piquet Jr, deliberately crash to help Alonso win, leading the FIA to give Renault a two-year suspended ban from F1.

Renault also started to scale back their efforts by selling off parts of the team in 2009 before offloading their remaining shares in 2010. It meant two teams competed in F1 with Lotus in their name in 2011 as Team Lotus owned the historic rights to the former Lotus team name.

Lotus Renault ultimately dropped the Renault part of their name in 2012 through until 2015. But Renault then returned to F1 as a constructor in 2016 after Grigny (UK) Ltd – a subsidiary of the French manufacturer – bought Lotus for £1 after they made losses of £57m for 2015.

Alpine F1 Team drivers’ championships

Alpine are so far yet to win a drivers’ championship since Renault changed the team’s name to promote its other sports car brand in 2021. But the Enstone outfit secured the 1994 and 1995 titles with Schumacher under Benetton plus in 2005 and 2006 with Alonso as Renault.

Alpine F1 Team constructors’ championships

Alpine are yet to win a Formula 1 constructors’ championship since Renault rebranded the team in 2021. But the team from Enstone under their previous names have secured multiple titles. Benetton won the 1995 title, while Renault secured the crown in 2005 and also 2006.

Alpine F1 Team factory base

Alpine operate out of the Enstone factory which Benetton first opened ahead of the 1992 F1 season. Although their factory has undergone a number of renovations over the years as the team also passed through many hands. Renault also have a second factory in Viry-Chatillon.

Their Enstone factory is the heart of Alpine’s Formula 1 entry, with the Viry facility the home of Renault’s engine production line. All of the design and production of Renault’s power unit takes place in France. All chassis, R&D, gearbox and assembly work is conducted in England.

Enstone covers more than 25 departments from aerodynamics to the final build of their race cars. It also contains their Ops team, which provides support on race weekends for the team members at the track. Alpine also runs their driver development programme out of Enstone.

Factory address

Alpine F1 Team: Whiteways Technical Centre, Enstone, Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire, England, OX7 4EE

Alpine F1 Team contact details

Website: alpine-cars.co.uk/formula-1.html

All F1 enquiries: [email protected]