Alpine Formula 1 CEO Laurent Rossi says his team was “in shambles” at the opening pre-season test ahead of the 2022 season.
The Enstone-based squad went on to enjoy a relatively successful campaign as it finished the year fourth in the Constructors’ Championship.
However, reliability conners plagued the team during the 22-race schedule, particularly on Fernando Alonso’s side of the garage.
The issues were evident at the first pre-season test from Barcelona in February, with its car setting just 12 laps on the final day of running from the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya due to a fire.
It had the third least mileage of any team ahead of the second test in Bahrain, which Rossi says left the team in a troubling position for the start of the season.
“It’s a capacity of Enstone and Viry to deliver upgrades throughout the season and stay competitive,” Rossi said when asked what pleased him the most about the 2022 season.
“We started the season in bad shape. I mean, we arrived in Barcelona, in shambles, I could say, and then the idea was to develop as late as we can, because it was a brand new car.
“And then from there, to try and make our way up the grid. Nobody was seeing us anywhere above eighth position, I remember back then.”
Alpine contested against McLaren for much of the year for fourth in the standings, which it sealed at the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
The successful year came following a series of managerial changes, with Otmar Szafnauer and Bruno Famin arriving to spearhead the team.
“At the beginning of the season, the goal was to put a new structure in place, which we did,” Rossi commented.
“That structure was supposed to deliver innovations, upgrades throughout the entire season, to be more competitive, which we did, which culminate, ultimately in a better position.
“So it is important, not just financially but also for the momentum. We said we would try and progress every year to catch up as much as we can with the top teams.”
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