Alpine Reveals 2024 Upgrade Plan Amid Performance Struggles And Management Changes

Saajan Jogia | Aug 9, 2024

Nov 17, 2023; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; BWT Alpine F1 driver Pierre Gasly (10) of France drives during the qualifiers at the Las Vegas Strip Circuit. Mandatory Credit: Lucas Peltier-USA TODAY Sports / Lucas Peltier-USA TODAY Sports

Alpine has revealed that it would further tweak its Belgian GP upgrade by adding a new track-specific wing to the A524 F1 car for circuits like Monza and Las Vegas, while a much bigger upgrade package is reserved for the 2025 car.

Just ahead of the summer break, the Enstone outfit introduced a pretty big upgrade in the form of a new engine cover, brake ducts, a revised beam wing, and a new rear wing to enhance the performance of its F1 car.

Executive Technical Director David Sanchez has described the current upgrades as versatile, and designed to perform well across various circuits. However, he hinted that more specialized upgrades tailored for specific tracks, like Monza and Las Vegas, are to arrive after the summer break.

He disclosed that Alpine is committed to its development path, focusing on enhancing the car's pace despite its power unit producing fewer horsepower than its rivals. Earlier in the season, the car also grappled with an overweight issue, which significantly hampered its performance, further emphasizing the need for ongoing upgrades. Currently, the team is placed eighth in the Constructors' Championship with 11 points.

Sanchez revealed that Alpine plans to introduce additional downforce with the upcoming upgrades, while a more significant overhaul is being reserved for the 2025 car, which is anticipated to be an evolution of the A524. Speaking to Motorsportweek.com, he explained:

“So what you see today, all the changes are full-season updates, I would say, not track-specific.

“There’s just a new rear wing, which is not on the car yet, which is track-specific.

“The rest, which is an evolution of the front wing, the bodywork, the rear brake duct, it’s for everywhere.

“So the wing that we might try, depending on the conditions, is the one that Alpine will run here, in Monza and in Las Vegas.”

Sanchez emphasized that the current upgrades are being prioritized because they will set the foundation for the development path of the 2025 car, which is seen as a crucial step forward for Alpine. He added:

“I wouldn’t say it’s been rushed. But for sure, it’s been pushed very hard through the system.

“I think the number one issue is for everyone to find more downforce and try to eliminate some of the anomalies that we might see with the current car.

“So this package is mainly intended for more downforce. So this is a first step in the pipeline. We have another one that will be bigger and that will be the basis for next year.

“So we will do more on this year’s car. We’ve been working on this one [for Spa] since day one. The other one is an extension, using a little bit more time to go further.”

The technical director revealed that the next package will be visible on the car "a few races after the summer break." He also spoke on the team's status on the 2026 car, suggesting that it remains in a good position despite scrapping its 2026 power unit project. He added:

“Infrastructure-wise the team was already well underway with the plans.

“We looked together at whether we needed to prioritise some elements over others.

“I think where we are now, the plan we have, if I look at ’26 and beyond, we should be in a good position.

“Now, the most important thing is to get everything in the right direction with this car and the next one, and build more confidence in the team.”