P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Outgoing Alpine Team Principal Bruno Famin has said that Formula 1’s financial rules have driven the French marque from ditching its engine production in favour of becoming a customer team. Famin will step down as Team Principal of Alpine’s F1 team at the end of August in order to focus full-time on a period of […]
Laurent Rossi will replace Famin as Team Principal of Alpine’s F1 team after Famin steps down at the end of August. Alpine aims to stop producing its own power units and instead collaborate with Mercedes to become a customer team in Formula 1. This strategic shift is primarily driven by the financial benefits associated with being a customer team rather than an OEM, according to Famin’s explanation on the F1 Beyond the Grid podcast. Despite ongoing development freeze on current power units until 2026, Alpine, facing a 15-kilowatt power deficit compared to its competitors, finds it more cost-effective to purchase power units rather than develop its own. The money saved from the F1 operation will be redirected towards the development of the Alpine road car brand with a focus on innovative technology and unveiling seven new models in the coming years. The proposed reallocation of resources from Formula 1 power unit development to brand technology development signifies a shift in Alpine’s strategic direction towards maximizing resources and enhancing brand innovation.
