Alpine F1 News: Team Reveals Floor Upgrade for Chinese Grand Prix in Rush to Improve Performance

Alex Harrington | Apr 16, 2024

Oct 21, 2023; Austin, Texas, USA; BWT Alpine F1 driver Pierre Gasly (10) of Team France drives / Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Alpine F1 Team, grappling with a challenging 2024 season, has announced a significant strategic shift ahead of the Chinese Grand Prix. In a bold move to claw back into competition, Alpine has decided to roll out a substantial floor upgrade initially set for the Miami Grand Prix. This upgrade will feature exclusively on Esteban Ocon's car, aiming to provide the team with crucial performance data.

The French outfit has found itself at the tail end of the standings this season, without securing any points. This situation is exacerbated by the advancements made by rival teams, who have significantly outpaced the Enstone outfit such as McLaren and Aston Martin. In response, Alpine introduced a new front wing at the Japanese Grand Prix. Although these modifications resulted in some improvements, neither Esteban Ocon nor Pierre Gasly managed to break into the top ten, underscoring the team's ongoing struggles.

Bruno Famin, the Team Principal of Alpine, has openly acknowledged the challenging period for the team.

"It's not a fun period," admitted Famin. He further elaborated on the team's urgent need for performance enhancements following the last race in Japan, "The last race in Japan underlined how big a challenge we have on our hands to improve our performance level."

Famin remains optimistic about the potential impacts of the accelerated upgrade schedule: "We must develop the performance of the car in order to fight for higher positions. While it was good to bring the first updates to the car in Suzuka, we must do more."

This weekend's race in Shanghai is critical as it marks Formula 1's return to China after a five-year hiatus.

"The cars are completely different to the 2019-spec, so preparation has been different to normal," Famin noted, highlighting the adjusted approach required for this weekend. "Matched with the fact it is a sprint event, we have less preparation and therefore it is crucial to be dialed in from the get-go."

In preparation for the unique challenges of the Shanghai International Circuit, both Ocon and Gasly have spent extensive time in simulators at the team's base in Enstone. This simulated training is part of Alpine's rigorous efforts to ensure that the drivers are as prepared as possible, despite the limited on-track time.