Famin stepping down as Alpine team principal 12 months after ousting Szafnauer · RaceFans

Alpine is changing its team principal for the third time in four years.

The team confirmed Bruno Famin will step down from the role of team principal at the end of next month. It has not yet named his replacement.

Famin will remain in charge of the rest of Alpine’s motorsport programme. He took control of the team a year ago, replacing Otmar Szafnauer, who had only assumed his role at the team in March 2022. His predecessor Davide Brivio only held the position for little more than a year.

Alpine has endured a turbulent 12 months during which time it has lost several senior figures. Sporting director Alan Permane, who had been with the team for decades, left when Szafnauer departed, eventually joining RB. Chief technical officer Pat Fry also departed, moving to Williams.

The team made a poor start to this season and initially had the slowest car in the field. Technical director Matt Harman and head of aerodynamics Dirk de Beer stepped down as a result, and Famin reorganised the team’s technical department into three divisions with different leaders. Alpine then hired David Sanchez in May, following his brief spell with McLaren at the beginning of the year, to take charge as executive technical director.

The team’s performance improved earlier in the year and they collected enough points to move up to eighth in the standings. However they remain on course for their worst result in a championship since owner Renault returned as a full constructor in 2016. Esteban Ocon will leave the team at the end of the year but Pierre Gasly has extended his contract to drive for them.

Rumours persist that Alpine will wind up its F1 engine division and switch to use Mercedes customer power units in 2026, when new technical regulations are introduced.

This article will be updated.

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