Alpine, a team owned by Renault, finished the previous season in sixth place overall, dropping from fourth place the year before. The team consists of drivers Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly. Today, the French team unveiled their new car and announced that they will be racing with two different liveries this season. For the first eight races, the Alpine A524 car will predominantly be pink to reflect the colors of their sponsor BWT. After that, it will revert back to Alpine’s familiar blue.
During the launch presentation at the team’s Enstone factory, Matt Harman, the technical director of Alpine, discussed the approach they took with the A524 car. He stated that their approach was aggressive yet deliberate, focusing on adding performance to the car. The team has placed a strong emphasis on learning and reacting to what they have learned, rather than solely focusing on results. Harman explained that they have pushed certain elements of the car to the limit and even beyond that, in line with their approach to progress the project to the highest possible level.
Bruno Famin, the team principal who took over last year, emphasized the need for improvement in all areas. While they are aware of where they stand compared to last year, they have no knowledge of their competitors’ positions. The Renault engine used by Alpine is at a disadvantage of 20-30 horsepower compared to their rivals, according to the FIA. However, Famin believes that there is still room for improvement on the chassis side. He stated that while the engine is important, it is ultimately the overall performance of the car that matters.
In addition to their Formula One endeavors, Alpine also launched their world endurance program at the same time. The two cars were presented together, and Mick Schumacher, a reserve driver for Mercedes F1 and a German national, joined the lineup.