2022 Alpine F1 Team

[Big Tea]

They may not take Ricciardo.
Mclaren would have to pay him 21 million to not drive next year.

If he does drive and get a salary, then he would have to give back/ or leave Mclaren the difference.

I think Alpine will refrain from taking back Ricciardo just to spite Mclaren. If they take him it will make things look good for Mclaren.

They will just take someone else. Shumacher is an option. Ferrari isnt impressed with Mick.

If Ferrari isn't impressed with Mick, why should Alpine be?
They are there for results above all not to 'spite' another team.
Even the name would not be worth them taking on now as it is old hat, 'His son' has already appeared in F1.

[peewon]

Martin's and even Hadjar could be options 2 years down the line. They will need a stop gap as Ocontract doesn't expire till end of 24.

[continuum16]

Here's all the drivers that are still unconfirmed/not under contract for 2023 (including Ricciardo, I guess):
Current F1:

• *RIC, MSC, ZHO, LAT

Previous F1:

• HUL, KUB, KVY, GRO

All of F2, but specifically:

• DRU, POU, DOO

If we follow process of elimination, I'm pretty sure Goatifi is off the list, Zhou would probably stay put at Alfa and hasn't shown anything exceptional, same with MSC at Haas.

That leaves a list of drivers who have driven for or at least been associated with Alpine/Renault/Enstone but have since left and/or been fired. KUB and that sweet ORLEN $$ will probably stay at Alfa because he is free to run WEC or whatever else he pleases. GRO is probably done with F1 for good and is only really on this list because he is French (although he seems to be losing patience in Indycar atm). KVY might still face some Russian hurdles at present. This leaves HUL, RIC, or any of the F2 options. Although I wouldn't be shocked, I don't think HUL would go back on a 1-year deal just to be replaced after 2023, and I don't think Alpine would offer him more. This leaves RIC as the preferred F1 option. I don't see who else he would sign for in F1 so there may be time.

When it comes to F2, DRU isn't associated with any team despite being the leader, although three years in it's a little too late to take a punt maybe. POU is French and DOO is probably on par with SAR as most impressive rookie, with IWA not far behind. Plus he is an Alpine driver (not that seems to be worth much these days).

I'd wait to see if POU or DOO have a great second half of the season in F2, and if one does, sign them. If they both do, sign Pourchaire because he has more experience. If neither does sign RIC.

[JordanMugen]

They are there for results above all not to 'spite' another team.

This is Alpine F1 Team under Laurent Rossi, do you want to double-check that?

I still don't understand why Marcin Budkowski was replaced as team principal, he was doing a good job to steadily expand the team and steadily improve the facilities.

[Big Tea]

They are there for results above all not to 'spite' another team.

This is Alpine F1 Team under Laurent Rossi, do you want to double-check that?

I still don't understand why Marcin Budkowski was replaced as team principal, he was doing a good job to steadily expand the team and steadily improve the facilities.

Are you referring to this?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WKbm8f_iVWw

[JordanMugen]

Are you referring to this?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WKbm8f_iVWw

Not specifically (I didn't know Jamie Oliver was an F1 analyst ).

[ringo]

Apline has big ambitions. Don't be too short sighted. Rossi will surprise many.

[JordanMugen]

Apline has big ambitions. Don't be too short sighted. Rossi will surprise many.

I'll believe it when it happens. At this point I would feel more confident betting on Red Bull-Porsche to have a championship-contending car in 2026 than Alpine-Renault, even though Alpine have a 100 race plan to be contending for the title by then.

That's even with the Red Bull having a brand new power unit that year. Apparently Red Bull Powertrains, who will build the most likely "Porsche" branded unit, have 300 employees already starting from zero just 24 months ago.

Unless I'm mistaken -- please correct me if I am wrong -- I don't recall either Alpine at Enstone or Renault at Viry moving that fast or being willing to invest capital at that rate?

[ringo]

Apline has big ambitions. Don't be too short sighted. Rossi will surprise many.

I'll believe it when it happens. At this point I would feel more confident betting on Red Bull-Porsche to have a championship-contending car in 2026 than Alpine-Renault, even though Alpine have a 100 race plan to be contending for the title by then.

That's even with the Red Bull having a brand new power unit that year. Apparently Red Bull Powertrains, who will build the most likely "Porsche" branded unit, have 300 employees already starting from zero just 24 months ago.

Unless I'm mistaken -- please correct me if I am wrong -- I don't recall either Alpine at Enstone or Renault at Viry moving that fast or being willing to invest capital at that rate?

I think they have a very successful engine program. It's very underestimated because of all the other happenings in the paddock with redbull powertrains and Ferrari engine improvement. But Alpine made a very reliable and powerful engine after switching architecture. The drivers don't complain of power deficit or engine gremlins.
Rossi is the driver behind this successful change, and I believe they are quite good at executing their plans. They are taking things step by step and actually delivering on the planned objectives.
This team is a quality team, and I wouldn't use the current drama to write them off as a shambles. They have a better odds of winning a championship than Mclaren. They have their own engine, and they make very good chassis historically. The engine is no longer weak.
They may not be top of the pile next year, but there is no reason they cannot be second best team in 2 years time. Ferrari is a low bar to climb, and Mercedes are on the backfoot. Redbull may even move backwards with the Porsche engine, even though I suspect they will stick with Honda.

[diffuser]

Gasly leaving makes no sense for RB at this point. Their current junior crop has failed essentially & if Perez or Max get ill/injured etc then Gasly is a good stand-in

Plus Marko has denied even the existence of the get-out clause (but ofc take it with handful of salt): "There is no exit clause for Gasly. There was none before the summer break and there will be none after the summer break,"

Doubt he will leave the RB family this year.

Ricciardo, Pourchaire seem the most realistic imo

I doudt Gasly resigned with SAT for 2023 this year without a get out of jail free card. But who knows.Fact is he played his cards too early.

[djos]

The Renault PU looks stronger than the Mercedes’ this year, imo they’ve done a great job. I hope Dan joins for next year and he and Ocon destroy Mclaren!

[ringo]

It should be an interesting match up.
Dan may get back his mojo in the Alpine, and I think he will fit in better with this team than he does in Mclaren.

Piastri may just be digging his own grave by going into Lando's team. Lando will dismantle him. He should have stayed with Alpine, but Webber seems to be the bullish one who thinks Piastri is the next Hamilton.

[djos]

Yeah I think Oscar is mad ditching Alpine for Mclaren, from Daniels reports it’s a highly inconsistent and unintuitive car to drive.

https://apple.news/AxL0lWGbdQOOExcagYyJ5qw

[JordanMugen]

They may not be top of the pile next year, but there is no reason they cannot be second best team in 2 years time. Ferrari is a low bar to climb, and Mercedes are on the backfoot.

That's a big call and it will be a great thing to see if Alpine have overtaken Ferrari and Mercedes by 2024!

Yeah I think Oscar is mad ditching Alpine for Mclaren

Oscar had the choice between Williams and McLaren, not Alpine and McLaren.

What Oscar was most likely presented with was a 1 year Williams deal with an option for at least one more Williams year after that. Not an Alpine deal, not for 2024 and certainly not for 2023.

Otmar Szafnauer :

We offered [Alonso] a one plus one deal. And we discussed with Fernando that: 'look, if next year at this time, you're performing at the same level, of course, we will take you and that could have carried on'.

https://uk.motor1.com/news/602060/alpin ... s-release/

On this basis, how is it possible that Piastri was presented with a confirmed 2024 Alpine drive months ago and turned it down?

The presentation of a confirmed 2024 Alpine drive for Piastri to sign months ago seems very unlikely when the Alpine team principal says they intended to exercise Alonso's option for at least one further year (2024) if not "carrying on" beyond that.

Given this, the choice between confirmed Williams + 'maybe at some point' Alpine or confirmed McLaren seems extremely straight-forward.

[diffuser]

They may not be top of the pile next year, but there is no reason they cannot be second best team in 2 years time. Ferrari is a low bar to climb, and Mercedes are on the backfoot.

That's a big call and it will be a great thing to see if Alpine have overtaken Ferrari and Mercedes by 2024!

Yeah I think Oscar is mad ditching Alpine for Mclaren

Oscar had the choice between Williams and McLaren, not Alpine and McLaren.

What Oscar was most likely presented with was a 1 year Williams deal with an option for at least one more Williams year after that. Not an Alpine deal, not for 2024 and certainly not for 2023.

Otmar Szafnauer :

We offered [Alonso] a one plus one deal. And we discussed with Fernando that: 'look, if next year at this time, you're performing at the same level, of course, we will take you and that could have carried on'.

https://uk.motor1.com/news/602060/alpin ... s-release/

On this basis, how is it possible that Piastri was presented with a confirmed 2024 Alpine drive months ago and turned it down?

The presentation of a confirmed 2024 Alpine drive for Piastri to sign months ago seems very unlikely when the Alpine team principal says they intended to exercise Alonso's option for at least one further year (2024) if not "carrying on" beyond that.

Given this, the choice between confirmed Williams + 'maybe at some point' Alpine or confirmed McLaren seems extremely straight-forward.

Pretty sure he meant "mad" for not taking Alonso's seat when told.

There is a good chance of a long drawn out court case.Also, Ricciardo has exercised his opition with McLaren for 2023. Now McLaren have to pay him more than 15 million (15 is guaranteed) not to drive for them.