P1racenews AI automatic summary:
When will Alpine step up to the top after all? That pressing question lingers after a tumultuous season from which the French team undoubtedly expected more. Alpine finished sixth in the Constructors’ Championship and stood out mainly because of the many changes in management.
In 2022, Alpine had high hopes for success but instead faced challenges such as poor on-track performance, leadership changes, and school-boy errors. Despite finishing fourth in the Constructors’ Championship, they ended the year in sixth place with only 120 points. Bahrain was an early indication that podium finishes would be difficult to achieve. McLaren’s poor start provided a glimmer of hope, but Alpine failed to capitalize on it. Hydraulic issues and rifts in management added to their struggles. CEO Laurent Rossi, Team Principal Otmar Szafnauer, and Sporting Director Alan Permane all left the team, replaced by Philippe Krief, Bruno Famin, and Julian Rousse. The new lineup, including Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon, had occasional tensions on track. Reliability became a pain point, with multiple crashes and failures to finish races. Despite some highlights in Monaco and the Netherlands, Alpine’s focus is on their “100-race plan” to regain their former glory with Alonso.
