Alpine's tumultuous journey began at rock bottom but ended with enough spark to suggest better days might lie ahead.
However, it all started disastrously in Bahrain, where Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly qualified at the back and finished P17 and P18.
That dismal opener set the tone for the early season: no points in the first four rounds, mechanical retirements, driver clashes (Monaco, anyone?), and morale circling the drain.
Behind the scenes, a leadership overhaul tried to steady the ship early on. Out went technical heads Matt Harman and Dirk de Beer, replaced by a new structure featuring three technical directors and the addition of McLaren's David Sanchez as Executive Technical Director.
Oh, and to spice things up, Flavio Briatore – the man with Midas touch – was enrolled as the Enstone squad’s executive advisor by Renault Group CEO Luca de Meo himself. If drama is an ingredient for success, Alpine had a five-star recipe.
The team’s first points didn’t come until Miami, where Ocon scraped into tenth. But tensions grew – Ocon announced his exit at season’s end, and Bruno Famin stepped down as Team Principal, replaced by Oliver Oakes.
By mid-season, Alpine seemed less like a racing team and more like a soap opera.
Then came São Paulo. In a jaw-dropping turnaround, Ocon and Gasly pulled off a double podium – second and third – giving the Enstone squad its best-ever result under their current name. Even Max Verstappen, the race winner, admitted Ocon was tough to catch.
That performance catapulted Alpine from ninth to sixth in the Constructors’ Championship, beating Haas by seven points.
Gasly, the team’s star, finished tenth in the Drivers’ standings, scoring 42 of Alpine’s 65 points, and making history in the process as the first F1 driver to incur $0 in caused damage. A true hero for the budget cap era!
But no Alpine season is complete without a dash of controversy. After Qatar, the team announced Ocon had raced his last Grand Prix for them, prematurely ending his tenure in favor of rookie Jack Doohan.
The man who delivered to Alpine its only win in F1, in Hungary in 2021, concluded his life and times with ‘les bleus’ on the opening lap of the Qatar Grand Prix. Not exactly a farewell worthy of a podium finisher.
Alpine’s 2024 campaign was a tale of missteps, resilience, and a late-season awakening. They’ve got momentum – but whether that turns into 2025 success is anyone’s guess.
What’s in store for 2025?
Key to Alpine's prospects will be the continued leadership of Oliver Oakes and the revamped technical team. David Sanchez and his colleagues must deliver a car capable of regular point finishes, while operational improvements will be essential to avoid the chaos that plagued early 2024.
For Pierre Gasly, 2025 represents an opportunity to build on his solid performances, while Jack Doohan must prove he belongs at the top level.
The potential is there, but Formula 1 is a sport of consistency—and Alpine will need plenty of it to move closer to the midfield leaders and turn their promise into reality.
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