Alpine Formula 1 boss Bruno Famin has urged for patience when it comes to the team’s results in 2024 amid the expectation that it will encounter a sluggish start.
Having clinched fourth place upon F1’s return to ground effect cars in 2022, Alpine endured a tumultuous campaign last term and regressed to a distant sixth.
The Anglo-French marque has pursued a complete overhaul with its 2024 car, the A524, and admitted that it was anticipating opening the season on the back foot.
That caution seems to be genuine following pre-season testing, with Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly languishing 16th and 17th respectively on the overall timesheets.
However, Famin has outlined that the development of the team across the season is more important than defining a specific aim in the Constructors’ Championship.
“Our objective this year will be to generate the dynamic in improving the car, and improving the team as well,” he said. “That is the team as a whole and not only trackside.
“It is much more than giving a target in terms of final result or position in the championship or podiums. What I really need to see is this dynamic.
“The car is what it is right now. The important thing is to be able to develop it together with the team, with the factories at Viry and Enstone, and trackside. Everybody pushing for improvement.”
Alpine explained that reaching a development ceiling with its old car concept had been behind the decision to part from its predecessor with an extensive revamp.
But while Famin clarified it had not searched for “performance” in testing, the A524 appeared cumbersome amid rumours that it is above the minimum weight limit.
When asked about how much time there is to come from aero improvements and cutting excess weight, he replied: “We don’t know yet exactly. Let’s analyse it better.
“But weight is always a factor. When you are overweight, you need to be underweight. When you are underweight, you have to manage the ballast in the right place.
“And even when you are underweight, you still have to gain weight to improve the weight distribution. So, weight reduction is always a challenge.”
Famin remains hopeful that Alpine can emerge competitive in the midfield, but he conceded the extent of the work ahead of the team is not clear-cut until the first race.
“There is a lot to learn for sure,” he added. “The car is new from front to back: the chassis is different, the suspension is different, the aero is different.
“We wanted to try to improve the weak point of the previous car. Let’s wait for next week to see if we’re on target on it.”
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