As Formula 1 departed from a wet and windy Brazilian Grand Prix, the forecast was looking decidedly brighter for one team in particular, with Alpine’s cargo including two podium trophies.
In a season which has seen Renault planning to pull out of its F1 engine programme, its drivers colliding in Monaco and another change of team principal, Alpine was finally able to toast a fine effort in Sao Paulo.
The Enstone squad had been languishing towards the foot of the constructors’ championship, with Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly struggling to make inroads into the points-paying positions the likes of RB and Haas were securing more frequently.
A handful of ninth places had been the best to show for a year which threatened to leave Alpine down the back of the grid and staring at a black hole in the revenue stream secured by its on-track performance.
Changing fortunes
While the team made no secret of its low expectations at the unveiling of its A524 challenger, locking out the back row at the season-opening race in Bahrain was not where it had hoped to be.
Technical director Matt Harman and head of aerodynamics Dirk de Beer both departed, while the return of former team principal Flavio Briatore in an advisor capacity was met with a mixed reception in the paddock after his role in the 2008 Singapore GP ‘crashgate’ scandal.
The nadir of the season came in Monaco, where Ocon took responsibility for colliding with team-mate and fellow Frenchman Gasly as the pair came out of Portier. Gasly would go on to claim a point but the damage was done. Ocon was soon signing for Haas from 2025, with rookie Jack Doohan set to replace the 2021 Hungarian GP winner next year.
Esteban Ocon, Alpine A524, Pierre Gasly, Alpine A524
Photo by: Alpine
Meanwhile, a new team principal in the shape of 36-year-old Oliver Oakes was installed, his predecessor Bruno Famin having announced at the Belgian Grand Prix in August that he would be stepping down to focus on Alpine’s World Endurance Championship programme among other motorsport activities.
Battling towards the wrong end of the championship, Ocon was even tasked with pitting for softs in the closing stages of the Singapore Grand Prix to steal the fastest lap point from Franco Colapinto as Alpine looked set to tussle for the minor places with Williams.
But then came the Brazilian Grand Prix and, with the rain, a complete change in fortune for Alpine, Oakes having slowly overseen an upturn in…
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at Autosport.com – Formula 1 – Stories…