More changes are coming to Alpine, and for the second straight year, they were announced at the Belgian Grand Prix.
The team announced on Friday that Bruno Famin would be departing his current role as Alpine Team Principal “by the end of August,” but will remain with the organization in charge of “all other motorsport activities” with the team.
It was a year ago at the Belgian Grand Prix that Famin stepped into the Team Principal role on an interim basis when the team parted ways with Otmar Szafnauer. Famin’s interim tag was removed ahead of the 2024 Formula 1 season.
Confirmation of the move, which had been expected in recent days, came on social media:
BWT Alpine F1 Team can confirm that Bruno Famin will move away from his current role as Team Principal of the F1 division by the end of August. pic.twitter.com/5VIkCoOdTs
— BWT Alpine F1 Team (@AlpineF1Team) July 26, 2024
Famin’s departure is not the only change that has been rumored regarding Alpine in recent weeks. There is growing speculation that the French-based team may shutter their engine program, drawing to a close their status as one of the few works operations remaining in F1. A partnership with Mercedes has been discussed in recent weeks, potentially beginning as a technical partnership before Alpine becomes a customer team of Mercedes, perhaps at the start of the 2026 season when the new F1 regulations go into effect.
As far as who may replace Famin, Oliver Oakes has been mentioned in several reports. Oakes, a former racer and member of the Red Bull Junior program, currently serves as the Team Principal at Hitech Grand Prix, a feeder series that competes in F2, F3, GB3, and British F4. Hitech was one of the prospective teams that submitted a bid to the FIA seeking a spot on the F1 grid as a potential 11th team, but their application was denied in favor of the Andretti-Cadillac partnership.
Currently, Alpine sits eighth in the F1 Constructors’ Championship standings with nine points on the season. While the team has confirmed that Pierre Gasly will be back for next season on a new “multi-year” deal, with Esteban Ocon headed to Haas for next year they have an open spot on the grid.
And now, on the pit wall.
