Speculation surrounding the future of Alpine in Formula 1 has been fueled by comments made by former team boss Eddie Jordan. Jordan described Alpine as an “embarrassing” team that is “wide open” for a potential takeover. Currently, Alpine sits at the bottom of the constructors’ championship without a single point after four rounds. This is a stark contrast to their performance last year, where they finished sixth with 120 points and had podium finishes from Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon. Alongside Sauber and Williams, Alpine has struggled this season. The poor performance has led to rumors of a potential sale, but a spokesperson from Alpine has firmly denied these claims. They stated that the team is not for sale and is committed to improving their standings.
The speculation regarding Alpine’s future was sparked by comments from Eddie Jordan, a former team boss. He expressed his belief that Renault, the parent company of Alpine, is reducing its involvement and hesitating to invest in the necessary updates for their 2026 power unit. This has raised doubts about Alpine’s presence on the F1 grid next year. Additionally, rival teams have criticized Alpine’s ambitious “100-race project,” which aims for regular podium finishes by 2024. They are skeptical about the feasibility of this project considering the upcoming F1 regulation changes.
The situation at Alpine is further complicated by the potential departure of their French drivers, Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon. Both drivers are Grand Prix winners and their contracts expire at the end of the season. With several other drivers also nearing the end of their contracts, there could be significant movement in the driver market for the 2024 season. Notably, a spot at Mercedes has opened up following Lewis Hamilton’s switch to Ferrari. Other teams like Red Bull and Aston Martin may also have vacancies.
Alpine has experienced frequent leadership changes, with Bruno Famin currently serving as the team principal. Famin took over from Otmar Szafnauer in August last year and permanently assumed the role in February. However, he is already facing considerable pressure, according to Ted Kravitz. In terms of their performance this year, Alpine has been disappointing, with positions far from the point-scoring places in all four races. The team has also seen high-profile departures, including Sporting Director Alan Permane, CEO Laurent Rossi, Technical Director Matt Harman, and head aerodynamicist Dirk de Beer, following a restructuring.
Despite their current struggles, Alpine received significant investment last year from celebrities such as actor Ryan Reynolds, footballer Trent Alexander-Arnold, and golfer Rory McIlroy. These investors likely expect better results from a team that achieved two world championships in the 2000s under Renault’s brand.