“There is no magic”: Oliver Oakes details Alpine’s approach for the 2025 season
Oliver Oakes drew positive lessons from Alpine's competitive end to the 2024 season and their climb to sixth place in the constructors' standings. However, he emphasized that there would be "no magic" to help the team climb further up the ranks in Formula 1.
Alpine has been present in F1 since 2021, after Renault chose to rebrand its team to promote the Alpine brand. In their first season, they secured a victory and finished fifth, before progressing to fourth place the following year.
However, the ambitions of becoming a regular contender for victories have not yet been realized, leading to a series of management changes, including the appointment of Oliver Oakes as team principal and the return of Flavio Briatore as an advisor to the French team.
Oliver Oakes joined the Alpine pit wall for the first time at the Dutch Grand Prix in 2024. Over the next 10 races, the team moved from ninth to sixth place, notably thanks to a spectacular double podium finish during a rainy race at Interlagos, Brazil.
A decisive year for Alpine
Speaking recently on the podcast Beyond The Grid, Oliver Oakes shared his thoughts on his journey with Alpine and the team’s goals for 2025 and beyond, as the major regulatory changes in 2026 approach.
“I think you have to be pragmatic, but also flexible,” said Oliver Oakes, former karting world champion and driver, who also ran his own team, Hitech Grand Prix, in the junior categories.
« There is no magic. We just have to ensure that the team works together. We need to produce a better car. In 2024, one of the main positives is that we have brought performance to the car. »
« We had a difficult start to the season, but in reality, the developments we made have worked. We proved it twice, which shows we have a good group here. »
Managing the compromise between 2025 and 2026
Oliver Oakes acknowledged the challenge of juggling between optimizing the car for 2025 and preparing for the major technical changes in 2026, which will introduce power units with an increased share of electric energy and 100% sustainable fuels.
“It’s a big compromise,” he admitted. “You have to allocate resources to the current car while preparing from January for the new regulation changes. It’s exciting to have to make these decisions.”
There are still many important things to do in the present that will remain relevant in a year, even with the new rules. On our side, we are working on all fronts.
The rules will change, but you continue to improve your performance tools to develop a car. Bringing performance remains the foundation, regardless of regulatory changes.
« We must ensure that we allocate enough resources to not be delayed for 2026, while remaining competitive in 2025. There is still a lot at stake. »
Alpine will continue with Pierre Gasly for a third consecutive season in 2025. He will be joined by Australian Jack Doohan.
