Alpine Formula 1 boss Bruno Famin is adamant that the team must be “prepared” to act amid the potential for a “high-risk” driver market taking place during this season.
Famin has addressed that the team is pleased with its current driver line-up, but both Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly will be out of contract at the end of this campaign.
With more than half of the drivers on the grid with unfinalised plans for 2025, Famin has not ruled out the Anglo-French marque having a reshuffle heading into next term.
The now permanent Alpine Team Principal has admitted that it must be prepared in the circumstance where the next driver market triggers movement in the driver market.
“Right now, we are happy with our drivers,” Famin told F1 TV.
“We have two good drivers with a good mindset, good attitude, but we know that the season may be silly, who knows? Let’s see.
“There is quite a high risk of a silly season and we need to be prepared for everything.”
“We have started to talk with both of them and we need to find agreements for sure, and to see what’s happened on the market.
Alpine has started the season on the back foot, with its uncompetitive A524 challenger unable to fight for Q3 appearances or points places in the opening stages.
Famin has admitted that this did not come as a “big surprise” to the Enstone-based squad, but he did concede that it was a “shock” to be on the back row in Bahrain.
“Of course, I think when we presented the car we were very cautious because we feel that the first races would be quite difficult and, unfortunately, they had been, but being on the last row in Bahrain of the grid will have been a shock for everybody, to be frank and transparent,” Famin proclaimed.
“But it is the evidence that we needed to change our way, our approach, our organization, to make it more agile, more efficient, and this is what we are doing with the changes we have made, especially in Enstone, and we are on it.”
Even with a very disappointing start to the season, Famin remains optimistic about how the team has reacted to the situation and hopes for strong development.
“But I’m quite happy with the reaction of the staff at the factory, everybody understood we had to change and everybody now is pushing for the changes and I really expect everybody to push hard, of course, in developing that car but also in improving our organization, our processes, for the future projects,” he concluded.
Discussion about this post