Formula 1 News: ‘Joke’ Alpine still fending off F1 sale rumors

(GMM) For about the third time in as many weeks, Bruno Famin has once again rejected persistent rumors that Alpine’s Formula 1 team is on the market.

Related Article: Formula 1 News: Alpine denies new buyout rumors

After a couple of seasons of management and shareholding chaos, Renault’s works team emerged with arguably the slowest car of all for the 2024 season.

Esteban Ocon got a new floor on his Alpine in China, and told Canal Plus that he sees signs of hope.

“These are small but not insignificant improvements,” said the Frenchman. “You have to see satisfaction in that – that you work hard and it pays off.”

However, Ocon warned that “a big gap” remains. “There are still three tenths to P12, which is a lot,” he said. “We must not get excited, but we are not far from the points.”

For top French F1 journalist Julien Biliotte, writing for the iconic Auto Hebdo magazine, the situation remains embarrassing.

He said France has a glistening and successful history in motor racing, “and now we are a joke”.

“They (Alpine) want to compete with the best, but are not prepared to invest enough. Alpine is not even hitting the budget limit while the others find loopholes to spend even more.

“Alpine wants to taste champagne, but they’re not prepared to buy a really good bottle.”

Biliotte points the finger at Famin.

“He’s the team boss in Formula 1, but also responsible for endurance projects and is vice-president of Alpine,” he said. “Other team bosses are fully focused on Formula 1.”

Another respected journalist, Louis Dekker of the Dutch broadcaster NOS, added: “The fact that the team operates from both France and England is difficult, but the investors have also contributed to this.

“They have put more into financial adventures than race strategy and motorsport.”

For now at least, however, Alpine does not appear to be looking to sell up.

“It is very clear that the team is not for sale,” Famin told L’Equipe.

“We have a real brand project which is to develop Alpine internationally, and for this we have the support of the group’s top management.

“The Alpine project and the F1 team remain. We are well aware of the issues and the requirements.”