The start of the ground effect era was a positive one for Alpine, as the team arguably punched above its weight in 2022 to finish fourth in the standings ahead of the heavyweights McLaren and Aston Martin. The joy, however, was short-lived as the French outfit seemed to have lost that midfield-topping performance the next year.
This prompted the team’s management to take some harsh steps, including getting rid of some key figures in the middle of the season. Among those who faced the heat was team principal Otmar Szafnauer. The Romanian manager could only hold on to his position until the Belgian GP in the first half of the 2023 season.
While Bruno Famin took over the role from Szafnauer, his stay did not last longer than a year. Coincidentally, Famin also announced his departure at the Belgian GP in 2024. This unpleasant tradition now seems to have spooked Famin’s successor, Oliver Oakes.
The Briton recently appeared in a video with Formula 1, where they asked team principals to sum up their approach for the 2025 season in three words. Oakes, while admittedly joking, talked about surviving the Belgian GP as one of his priorities.
“Could joke and say, ‘Surviving till Spa [Francorchamps, Belgium].’ ‘Rise Higher’ is two words. That was our DJ at the [F1 75] launch. Yeah, I guess a bit of a mix of those. I’m going to get in trouble for that,” said Oakes.
Oliver Oakes in that new Youtube video is a PR disaster Just shade shade shade.
— alexis | アレクシ (@vroumvrouming) April 8, 2025
Given the way the season has panned out for Alpine until now, the 37-year-old won’t hedge his bets on his own stay. In three Grands Prix so far, the team has failed to score points. Moreover, he has Flavio Briatore as his boss, a man who is not afraid to take pragmatic decisions no matter how harsh they might seem.
Would that be a wise decision, though? Briatore is well aware of the impact Oakes has had on the team so far. Under his leadership, Alpine bounced back from the bottom position to finish 2024 in sixth place. Those results included a double podium finish at Interlagos.
Apart from that, the team is searching for stability, especially ahead of the start of the 2026 season. The season will mark the start of the new era of regulations, hence the added importance.
With all that in the backdrop, only time will decide Oakes’ future at Alpine. After all, F1 is a sport of uncertainties and Briatore is among the most unpredictable individuals therein.
