Alpine is committing to big changes with their 2024 car as the team works to haul itself up the F1 grid. In an effort to finally leave the midfield, Bruno Famin’s personnel must take a sizable step forward.
The French outfit spent last year in the midfield, somewhat in ‘no man’s land’. Too good for the backmarkers but not fast enough for the front-runners, Alpine’s position in the constructors was defined relatively early.
It would be inaccurate to suggest the A523 was without its moments. At a handful of events last year, it managed to give the top teams something to worry about.
Monaco and Zandvoort are the obvious examples, although Alpine’s raw pace was probably stronger in the former of those two venues. In any case, the progress from McLaren and Aston Martin was a painful reminder of the recent failures at Enstone and Viry.
Pierre Gasly (FRA) Alpine F1 Team A523 and Esteban Ocon (FRA) Alpine F1 Team A523.
07.07.2023. Formula 1 World Championship, Rd 11, British Grand Prix, Silverstone, England, Practice Day.
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For this season’s challenger, improvements will be necessary in all areas. However, perhaps the team’s biggest weakness is the engine.
Poor reliability was a big talking point for Alpine in 2022, giving away dozens of points throughout the year. However, the likes of Otmar Szafnauer were adamant that prioritising performance was more important than reliability.
A year later, the Renault engine is still the weakest in Formula 1. Its horsepower is lacking compared to its rivals, and its electrical efficiency is also a point of weakness.
This will make Alpine’s task in 2024 very difficult, as they must overcome a significant (though not debilitating) engine deficit.
Last season, this limitation had a knock-on effect on set-up – since the A523 was forced to compromise between top speed and downforce. If this weakness is addressed over winter, it should help the team move forward.
According to technical director Matt Harman, the next Alpine challenger will be “completely new” in all aspects.
Around this stage last year, it was Aston Martin who made promises of an entirely new machine. For the Silverstone-based outfit, this overhaul was successful.
However, Alpine still haven’t proven themselves capable of fighting at the front. This means that most F1 watchers will approach their winter updates with caution until the first laps are completed in pre-season testing.
