A few months ago, Alpine received a major boost to their net worth with investment from a group including Hollywood actor Ryan Reynolds. After a new net worth in the market, Alpine started hearing rumors about them being up for sale. In conversation with GrandPrix 247, Renault President and CEO Luca De Meo has come forth to snub all such rumors.
When the season began, Alpine introduced an impressive car in the A523. They had high hopes of being able to challenge for race wins and rise through the grid, but the reality couldn’t be more different. Following a string of underwhelming performances, the team saw the axing of Otmar Szafnauer, Alan Permane, and Pat Fry. With Bruno Famin at the helm of the French team for now, the belief within the F1 world was that the team would soon be up for sale.
De Meo says Alpine is not up for sale any time soon
With an influx of over $215 million, Alpine’s net worth now exceeds $1,400,000,000. Following the rise in their net worth, the dramatic reshuffling of the hierarchy within the team left everyone wondering what the future held in store. The most popular theory, amongst a myriad of them, was the team being up for grabs soon, given the F1 grid will see a makeover in the coming years. However, De Meo rubbished all such claims, saying they are currently in recovery mode.
“We have to do a piece-by-piece recovery job. And all those stories that I would like to sell the team are bullsh*t!”
De Meo also addressed the axing of the team’s former top brass and said it was a measure they brought on themselves. He said the team promised him things they could not keep. “When you tell your boss something, then you have to do it,” added the Italian. The 56-year-old also mentioned his team did not have the right trajectory as they are well behind the goals they set in the season’s beginning.
Not an optimum season so far
Having finished fourth in the constructor’s championship last season, the French outfit had high hopes coming into the 2023 season. With a strong car and capable drivers, Alpine looked to make it into the top three while also registering consistent wins throughout the season. Instead, they currently see themselves poised sixth with 73 points and two podiums.
🏁 F1 2023 Constructor Standings – After Monza 🏆
🔥 Is Ferrari going to catch Mercedes? 🚀#F12023 #F1 #Formula1 #MonzaGP #ConstructorStandings #Racing #Motorsport #GrandPrix #TeamStandings #Monza pic.twitter.com/HFNuqzE8oa— Corrado (@corradobag) September 5, 2023
Their drivers, Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon, stand tenth and eleventh in the driver’s standings with 37 and 36 points, respectively. Each driver has earned one podium this season, but that has been the only highlight for the team so far. Going into the back end of the season, Alpine lies 155 points away from a top-three position and doesn’t look like an outfit that will cover up the margin with eight races to go.
