F1 Rumor: Alpine Set Their Sights on Mercedes Personnel Amid Big Loss

Alpine didn’t have a great start to the 2024 season with Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon coming in P17 and P18 respectively. It was a bad start and the drivers had mentioned it earlier during free practice. The team that finished 6th in the Constructors’ Championship has commenced the new season in an underwhelming manner and their cars not being quick enough.

For the 2024 season, Alpine launched the A524, which is said to be a revolution of the previous car, but it still needs work into the season. With a slow start, both the drivers are unhappy with the performance but now, the team is upgrading its staff to find the right members to push Alpine forward from the back of the grid. To make things more interesting, Alpine has eyes on a former Mercedes member to take on the role.

Mike Elliott on Alpine’s radar

It’s no secret that Bruno Famin, the team principal of Alpine, is unhappy with the result of the Bahrain Grand Prix. The team faced challenges such as an immature car design and difficulties in race performance during the first race, leading to them finishing at the back of the grid. Under these circumstances, the question stands: What will Alpine do to improve?

Alpine has initiated a technical overhaul to address the shortcomings of the A524. This overhaul includes significant revisions to the rear suspension and the Power Unit, aimed at improving power and efficiency. As reported by Formu1a.Uno, the French team is actively seeking to strengthen its technical staff and has expressed interest in recruiting former Mercedes Technical Director Mike Elliott.

The British aerodynamicist’s experience and achievements make him a valuable prospect for Alpine’s team. He is known for the zeropod designs of the Mercedes that did not do quite well leading to his being replaced. But beyond that, he has helped the team win multiple Constructors Championships.

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The recruitment of Mike Elliott reflects Alpine’s determination to push harder to climb its way back into the midfield, where deserving drivers like Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon can compete again. But what changes is the team going to implement?

Why is Alpine not at its best in 2024?

Compared to last season’s car, the team based in Enstone has completely redesigned the chassis to create space for changes to the floor. However, the new package is still relatively basic, and the car is currently overweight by 10kg. Despite the challenges, the A524 has shown potential, particularly in medium-speed corners and tire management during races. Moreover, the car struggles in slow corners and lacks agility, partly due to its excess weight.

In addition to the problems with the car, the team’s Technical Director Matt Harman, and head of aerodynamics Dirk De Beer have resigned, leading to a restructuring of the technical team. Alpine has adopted a three-pillar structure similar to McLaren’s, with specialists in engineering, aerodynamics, and performance. Additionally, the team has announced new appointments to its technical team, including Joe Burnell, David Wheater, and Ciaron Pilbeam. Eric Meignan is leading power unit development at the team’s base in Viry, with the support of John Woods and Audrey Vastroux.

In the final analysis, Alpine needs to put in a lot of work if they want to see results like last year. To put it simply, the team needs stability and they will hope that the changes bring in what the team needs the most. With that said, do you think Alpine will pick up turn things around and propel them into a strong 2024 season? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.