Alpine are in a state of disarray, both on and off the track. The big story around the team right now is the collision between Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly at the Monaco Grand Prix.
Ocon incurred the wrath of team principal Bruno Famin when he tried to pass Gasly down the inside of Portier on the first lap. They made contact that took the former out of the race and dealt significant damage to Gasly’s car.
Famin warned that there would be consequences amid talk of a one-race suspension for the Canadian Grand Prix. As it turns out, Ocon confirmed on Friday that he would be racing in Montreal.
The crash overshadowed what should have been a positive day for the Enstone outfit, with Gasly finishing 10th to score his first point of the season. He doubled the team’s tally in the process, keeping them level with Williams.
While there have been signs of progress in recent races, there’s no escaping the scale of Alpine’s drop-off. They finished sixth last season with 120 points – an average of 5.5 per weekend – and scored two podiums.
Just when it looked like the exodus that has claimed CEO Laurent Rossi and team principal Otmar Szafnauer was settling down, a fresh departure was announced on Friday. The team have sacked operations director Rob White, who has been with Renault for 20 years.
Flavio Briatore could try to bring Mick Schumacher to Alpine
Meanwhile, one individual who’s been brought in by Renault CEO Luca de Meo is Flavio Briatore. The F1 veteran will help the team make ‘strategic decisions’ on personnel and policy.
That’s according to F1-Insider, who say he could wield a significant influence over their 2025 driver line-up. Indeed, his arrival may be a ‘turning point’ for Mick Schumacher as he tries to get back into the sport.
Briatore worked with his father Michael at Benneton in the 1990s, helping him win back-to-back championships. The Italian ‘never forgets’ those who ‘meant a lot to him’, and his ‘special’ bond with the Schumacher family could work in Mick’s favour.
The 25-year-old could go up against Alpine academy driver Jack Doohan if there’s only one vacancy at the team for next year. Ocon is expected to leave but Gasly could now stay put.
Doohan and Schumacher are friends, just like their fathers were. In fact, it’s claimed that Michael even named his son after the Australian’s father, motorcycle legend Mick.
The former Haas driver’s best bet of returning to the F1 grid is impressing in his WEC campaign with Alpine. His performance at the iconic Le Mans 24 Hours this month could be key.
Schumacher also a Williams contender for 2025
Haas gave Schumacher a shot in F1 for the 2021 season on the back of his Formula 2 triumph. He comfortably beat fellow rookie Nikita Mazepin in his first year but struggled against the more experienced Kevin Magnussen in his second.
That led to him losing his drive to Nico Hulkenberg, but he’s clearly determined to get it back. The good news is that Alpine aren’t his only option.
While a seat at Mercedes is out of the question even though he’s carrying out a reserve role, he’s on Williams’ radar. In fact, there’s even talk that he could replace Logan Sargeant midway through the 2024 season.
That could give him the opportunity to show James Vowles what he’s capable of in an effective ‘audition’ for 2025. Much will depend, though, on whether the Grove outfit can reach an agreement with Carlos Sainz instead.
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