The Alpine Formula 1 team underwent significant changes in management last season and has not yet recruited experienced replacements for those who departed. Bruno Famin, who assumed the role of interim team principal in the middle of 2023, believes that the team is heading in the right direction. The changes have provided an opportunity for the existing staff to enhance their performance. The departure of key figures such as CEO Laurent Rossi and team principal Otmar Szafnauer will alter the team’s trajectory, but sometimes such changes are necessary to reinvigorate the team.
Famin plans to hire two new chief operating officers, one for the Enstone base and one for the engine operation in Viry. This will allow him to focus on his roles as F1 team boss and VP of motorsport. However, until these appointments are made, Famin will have a heavy workload. Alpine showed improvement in the latter part of last season, but their performance was inconsistent. The team has two talented drivers, Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon, who often find themselves locked in on-track battles instead of prioritizing the team’s success. Famin must address this issue promptly to ensure that Gasly and Ocon maximize their points tally in the upcoming season.
Now let’s examine the car itself. The nose of the car appears bulbous, with parallel sides from the front bulkhead width. Typically, the nose section narrows towards the front while maintaining a sufficient cross-section to pass the front impact test. The top of the nose features a flat section, which may create confusion. The usual trend is to make this section as narrow as possible, allowing airflow to bleed off and flow between the front wheels and the chassis sides. Establishing a proper flow structure at the front of the car will yield benefits further back.
Alpine seems to have focused on the section of the front wing just ahead of the tires. The front element in this area has a long cord, and the rear flap features an extended cord as well. However, it’s worth noting that the front wheels are moving objects, and their rotation during steering lock can alter the front wing loads in that area. If the center of pressure shifts forward with increased steering lock, it is acceptable. However, if it remains unchanged, it could lead to inconsistent performance.
There is a slight difference in the height of the chassis and halo, but this is due to the angle of the comparison images rather than a deliberate design change. The radiator inlet now resembles Red Bull’s ‘duck bill’ concept, although Alpine’s execution is less committed. By increasing the airflow through this area and utilizing the larger sidepod undercut, Alpine can extract more flow from the front corner of the floor and generate aerodynamic vortices further back. When executed properly, this approach can offer the best of both worlds.
Alpine has retained pushrod front suspension, with the top front wishbone featuring an anti-dive mechanism. The rear leg inboard mounting appears similar to last year, while the lower wishbone seems higher. However, this could be due to the angle of the picture. If the lower wishbone has indeed been raised, it will decrease the pushrod angle and increase the loads in the system, which is not ideal.
Alpine has maintained the sidepod upper surface gully introduced last season. This feature helps contain radiator spillage and directs it towards the center of the car. Maximizing this spillage at high speeds, aided by a low ride height and increased flow, enhances the diffuser’s performance.
The front suspension view reveals the level of anti-dive on the top front wishbone in more detail. The radiator inlet duct detail is visible from the side view. While Alpine’s approach is not as committed as Red Bull’s last year, it still aligns with the same direction.
Comparing Alpine’s 2024 car to Red Bull’s 2023 car, there are minimal differences in floor design. Alpine’s new car features a longitudinal outer element hung from above, allowing flow through a slot gap. This slot gap reduces the sensitivity of the sealing as the gap to the ground changes with ride height adjustments. The floor design can be compared to a mechanical seal, critical for ride height, and an aerodynamic seal, which can adjust progressively.
Moving forward on the floor, Alpine has incorporated similar turning vanes to Red Bull. These vanes assist in extracting flow from under the front corner of the floor and setting up vortices for further rearward aerodynamic effects.
At the rear, one of the two elements of the beam wing is positioned to enhance diffuser performance. Together, these elements can significantly impact the rear end’s drag reduction when the DRS is opened.
The rear top wishbone inner rear leg mounting is now integrated into the rear wing central support, encircling the exhaust tailpipe. Alpine’s use of a straighter tailpipe reduces back pressure on the turbo outlet, potentially improving turbo performance and energy utilization.
Overall, the 2024 Alpine car represents a step forward from the previous year. However, it is challenging to determine the team’s position relative to others in the pecking order. The true measure of the car’s performance will depend on the improvements made by other teams.