Both drivers resigned at the end of a very disappointing Grand Prix, while a crisis was also brewing behind the scenes with the dual resignations of the technical director and chief aerodynamicist.
Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly were satisfied with the formatted speech after the race, knowing that the French team had advanced far and that the expected development would not upset the hierarchy.
While former team principal Ottmar Safnour (photo above) regrets last summer’s palace revolution that did not provide the stability needed for the team to progress, we do know that two of the Alpine F1 team’s technical masterminds have returned their aprons.
Technical director Matt Harman and aerodynamic manager Dirk de Beer actually submitted their resignations before the championship even started: the rats are abandoning the ship that is taking on water!
This decision may have actually come from the introduction of the A524 when the realism of the simulator gave worrying results, unfortunately confirmed as soon as the car hit the track in pre-season testing and this worsened during the first Grand Prix.
Within months, the team was beheaded by the successive departures of CEO Laurent Rossi, then-team principal Ottmar Szfanauer, sporting director Alan Perman (returned to Racing Bulls) and technical leader Pat Fry (recruited by Williams). A disastrous start to 2024 does not bode well for a bright future…
Team principal Bruno Famine will have his work cut out for him to find capable replacements despite his lack of F1 experience and a relational network that is undoubtedly a bit thin in the paddock.
