RaceFans Round-up: Alpine target wins in three years

In the round-up: Alpine consultant Flavio Briatore reveals he promised Renault boss Luca de Meo success for his F1 team within three years.

In brief

Three years to make Alpine winners – Briatore

Briatore, who returned to the Renault-owned team earlier this year, praised the team’s recovery to finish the constructors’ championship in sixth place.

“It’s the result of everybody and I want to congratulate with everybody really because it’s the team spirit, this is what I want,” he said in a video published by the team. “I promised to Luca de Meo to put a winning team in three years, or whatever.”

Alpine became “very, very strong” by the end of the season, he said. “Pierre [Gasly] has done an unbelievable job. And as well Jack [Doohan] was okay, for the first race it was okay.”

“We need to stay together strong, have a few more people with experience in the team,” he added. “But the team, I like the team.

“The racing team is changing completely. The pit stops, we are competitive now. Now we have a racing team. This is what I want. We are producing a car, but now we are producing a quick car. And Pierre, I discovered really a super driver.”

Juncadella gets Aston Martin role

Daniel Juncadella, Force India, Interlagos, 2014 — Juncadella appeared for Force India in 2014

Sportscar driver Daniel Juncadella is returning to the team he made three appearances for in practice sessions during 2014. He will join Aston Martin, formerly known as Force India, as a simulator driver.

Juncadella won the European Formula 3 championship in 2012 but was unable to find a seat further up the single-seater ladder.

DeFrancesco gets second chance in IndyCar

RLL has added Devlin DeFrancesco to its driver line-up for 2025 in a new “multi-year” deal. He completed a single season in the series in 2023 with Andretti Steinbrenner, ending the year 22nd in the standings with a best finish of 12th in Detroit.

DeFrancesco joins long-time driver Graham Rahal and fellow newcomer Louis Foster at the team.

Five F2 seats claimed

Formula 2 teams announced five seats on the 2025 grid have been claimed. Gabriele Mini will race for Prema while fellow Alpine junior Kush Maini moves from Invicta to DAMS. Roman Stanek takes his seat at Invicta.

Williams junior Luke Browning will have his first full season at Hitech while Sami Meguetounif moves up after a single season in Formula 3, to drive for Trident.

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