Recently appointed Williams Formula 1 Chief Technical Officer Pat Fry has revealed he departed Alpine because the team lacked the “enthusiasm” needed to progress.
Having undertaken spells at both McLaren and Ferrari since leaving the Enstone squad – when it was known as Benetton – Fry returned to the Renault-owned group in 2020.
The British engineer played a pivotal role in propelling Alpine up to fourth place in the Constructors’ Championship upon F1’s switch to ground effect machinery last year.
However, Alpine struggled to build upon that minor success and endured a tumultuous start to the campaign that ended with it dropping to a lonely sixth in the standings.
In July, both Team Principal Otmar Szafnauer and Sporting Director Alan Permane exited, while it was also announced that Fry would be vacating his role to move to Williams.
Expanding on the reasons for quitting Alpine, Fry divulged that he progressively got the sense that the Anglo-French operation had little interest in challenging the top teams.
“I look back at the first three years I was there, and we improved Enstone, dramatically,” Fry said in Abu Dhabi. “Year-on-year, we built a better car.
“If you put the three cars next to each other, each one was a massive step. It’s a credit for everyone there, the various teams were collaborating a huge amount better. I think everyone there should be proud of what we achieved for those three years.
“I guess I’d gone back there to go back to the place you started your career and try and rebuild it. And I think we did really well. From a distant fifth, we were a solid fourth.
“But I didn’t feel there was the enthusiasm or the drive to move forward beyond fourth.
“I decided at the start of March that I want to be pushing things forward, I don’t just want to sit there and not be able to do things. So for me, that was time to stop and move on, really,” he added.
“It’s one of those things, I think as a company, they weren’t almost set up to push hard enough, you can say you want to be first.
“But the difference between saying it and achieving it, is monumental, as we all know.”
After Szafnauer criticised the Renault management for not “understanding” the long-term process for success, Fry agreed that the hierarchy needed more patience.
“Enstone as such, the destiny that we were in charge of, we could control,” he reflected. “And I think we did a good job.
“I’m not so sure that Otmar got a fair chance at fixing the place, because to some degree I think metaphorically, your hands are tied, I guess.
“But as I say, I think everyone there should be proud of what we achieved in those first three years.
“It’s always a shame walking away from things. But I think for me, I’d taken them as far as I could. And it was time for me to put my feet up and sit in my garden.”
Fry began working within the Williams ranks during the closing rounds of the season, one in which the Grove squad secured its best placing since 2017 with seventh position.
However, the 59-year-old admitted that he took a lot of persuading from Williams Team Principal James Vowles to accept the chance of reviving the iconic side’s fortunes.
“James had been talking to me for a little while, and it wasn’t until another couple of months after that that I decided to come here,” he disclosed.
Having conceded his scepticism about the ambition at Alpine, Fry is relishing the chance to be at the forefront of trying to inspire Williams’ ongoing recovery bid.
“I guess the thing that excites me about this opportunity is the board is fully on board with what it’s going to take to move this place forward,” he added.
“They’re willing to invest what it takes and support us in building a team.
“And again, it’s a nice thing isn’t it, to rebuild an old British icon. It’s a bit like my romantic view of going back to Benetton, to rebuild them. So it’s another exciting prospect.”
“James is pushing hard to try and improve this place. As I said the board is fully behind him moving the pace forward, and that’s the thing that excites me, we’re not going to be limited in what we can achieve.”
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