It is a spectacular recovery that Alpine managed to achieve at the end of the 2024 Formula 1 season. Ninth when entering the Dutch Grand Prix, synonymous with the first appearance of Oliver Oakes on the wall of the stands of the French team, the A arrowed team finally finished sixth in the Manufacturers' standings at the end of the year, mainly thanks to a double podium in the rain in Brazil. Pierre Gasly's performances in the final rounds of the past year also confirmed Alpine's return to form.
Enough to allow the Enstone-based team to start 2025 on the right track? “ There is no magic, says Oliver Oakes on the official F1 website. The team just has to work together. We need to produce a better car. One of the main positives of 2024 is that we have brought performance to the car. We had a difficult start to the season, but the improvements we made paid off. We did it twice. It shows we have a good group here. »
Like everything else on the Formula 1 field, Alpine will have to ask itself the question of post-2025. Should we sacrifice the next season to concentrate resources on the new 2026 regulations?
« It's a big compromise, admet Oakes. We must give resources to the current car, we must also prepare for the change in regulations from January. There are still many important things to do today that will still be relevant a year from now, even with the new regulatory changes. For our part, we are working on all fronts. »
« The rules will be different, but you will continue to improve all the performance tools that come into play in developing a car, develops the Briton. You always have to bring performance, because no matter the regulation changes, that remains the basis of the race. »
For Oakes, preparing for 2026 does not mean sacrificing the coming year, which must serve as a basis for the future: “ We obviously need to ensure that we allocate enough resources so that we don't fall behind when it comes to the 2026 rules, but we need to keep moving forward in 2025. There is still a lot to gain. »
In 2025, Alpine will still be able to count on Pierre Gasly. The Frenchman will be associated with Jack Doohan, replacing Esteban Ocon who left for Haas.
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