P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Alpine Team Principal Oliver Oakes has explained the team’s choice to use the Mercedes gearbox for just one Formula 1 campaign.
In 2024, Alpine initiated a major restructuring in their Formula 1 team, appointing Flavio Briatore as Executive Advisor and Laurent Rossi as Team Principal, with a decision to switch to Mercedes power units from 2026 onwards to enhance competitiveness and efficiency. This move was in anticipation of the significant rule changes for the 2026 season, aiming to streamline operations and optimize performance. Despite these changes, Alpine demonstrated promising results towards the end of the 2024 season, climbing from ninth to sixth in the Constructors’ standings. Briatore set ambitious targets for the team for 2025, 2026, and 2027, emphasizing consistent podium finishes and competitiveness for the championship in the coming years. The team acknowledged the need for strategic development planning to balance immediate performance with long-term goals amidst discussions about optimizing resources for the upcoming seasons. The focus remains on establishing Alpine as a consistent front-runner in the highly competitive F1 landscape.
