Alpine Formula 1 chief Bruno Famin is insistent that the team must be “ready” to take action in the face of a “high-risk” driver market that could occur this season.
Famin has acknowledged that the team is satisfied with its current driver lineup, but both Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly will be without contracts at the end of this campaign.
With more than half of the drivers on the grid yet to finalize their plans for 2025, Famin has not ruled out the possibility of a reshuffle for the Anglo-French team in the upcoming season.
The newly appointed Alpine Team Principal has admitted that they must be prepared in case the next driver market prompts movement in the field.
“Currently, we are content with our drivers,” Famin stated to F1 TV. “We have two skilled drivers with a positive mindset and attitude, but we recognize that the season may bring surprises. Who knows? Let’s wait and see.
“There is a significant possibility of an unpredictable season, and we need to be ready for anything.
“We have initiated discussions with both of them, and we need to reach agreements and assess the market.”
Alpine has had a challenging start to the season, with their A524 challenger proving uncompetitive and unable to contend for Q3 appearances or points finishes in the initial races.
Famin has admitted that this outcome was not entirely unexpected for the Enstone-based team, but he did express shock at starting from the back row in Bahrain.
“Of course, when we unveiled the car, we were cautious because we anticipated that the first races would be difficult,” Famin declared. “Unfortunately, they have been, but to be on the last row of the grid in Bahrain was a shock for everyone, to be honest.
“However, it served as a wake-up call for us to change our approach, our organization, to make it more agile and efficient, and that’s precisely what we’re doing with the changes we’ve implemented, particularly in Enstone. We’re on the right track.”
Despite the disappointing start, Famin remains hopeful about the team’s response to the situation and looks forward to significant development.
“But I’m pleased with the response from the staff at the factory. Everyone understood that we needed to make changes, and now everyone is committed to driving those changes. I expect everyone to work hard not only in developing the car but also in improving our organization and processes for future projects,” he concluded.