Alpine turn to Briton Oakes as new team principal

Formula One team Alpine announced on Wednesday the appointment of Oliver Oakes as their new principal, replacing Frenchman Bruno Famin.

The 36-year-old Englishman, a former driver currently at the helm of the Hitech GP team competing in the lower F2 and F3 categories, is the second youngest team principal in Formula One history.

Moving forwards together. Welcoming Oli to the team 🤝 pic.twitter.com/CffS1GqCkt

— BWT Alpine F1 Team (@AlpineF1Team) July 31, 2024

Oakes will start in his new role after the summer break and will report to Renault Group CEO Luca de Meo.

He said in a statement that he was grateful for the opportunity to lead Alpine "back to competitiveness”.

“The team has talented people and excellent resources at its core, and I am confident that we can accomplish a great deal together during the remainder of this season and the longer term," he added.

"I look forward to getting started after the summer break."

Famin announced during the Belgian Grand Prix last weekend that he would leave his post at the end of August while remaining in charge of all other motorsport activities of the Renault Group, based in the French town of Viry-Chatillon.

Oakes's first task will be to get the team back on track in terms of performance.

Alpine are currently eighth out of 10 in the constructors' standings, a long way off their performances in 2022 when they finished fourth.

The change of principal is the latest in a series of changes since the arrival in June of Italian Flavio Briatore as advisor to the French team.

One driver Esteban Ocon has already announced that he will be moving to Haas and complained that a "frustrating" season had not seen "enough improvement in certain areas".

Renault is also planning to cease production of engines for its F1 team.

Alpine is said to be close to reaching an agreement for 2026 with Mercedes, which currently equips Williams, McLaren and Aston Martin as well as its own single-seaters.

The Formula One season resumes with the Dutch Grand Prix in Zandvoort on August 25.