Alpine's New Team Boss Oliver Oakes Reveals Impact Of Reorganization 'In A Budget Cap World'

Saajan Jogia | Jan 3, 2025

Nov 22, 2024; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; BWT Alpine F1 Team driver Esteban Ocon of France (31) drives during practice for the Formula 1 Heineken Silver Las Vegas Grand Prix 2024 at the Las Vegas Circuit. Mandatory Credit: Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images / Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images

Alpine's new team principal, Oliver Oakes, who joined after the summer break last year following his tenure as team boss of F2 and F3 outfit Hitech Grand Prix, has revealed the impact of the reorganization at the Enstone facility "in a budget cap world," which has led to positive developments. Oakes also shed light on the investments being made in the team, some of which are yet to be disclosed, as Alpine undergoes a significant overhaul to climb the Formula 1 pecking order.

Alpine's parent company, Renault, made headlines last year when it decided to scrap the 2026 F1 power unit project and shift the team from a works outfit to a customer team. Despite protests from staff at its Viry-Châtillon factory, the French brand continued with its strategy to adapt in a cost cap world. As a result, the French team will source power units from Mercedes starting in 2026, when the sport enters a new era of regulations.

Before Oakes's hiring, Renault CEO Luca de Meo rehired former Alpine team principal Flavio Briatore, who has played a crucial role in driving significant decisions since his return. These include the appointment of Oakes and the signing of junior driver Jack Doohan for the 2025 season, who will replace Esteban Ocon.

In addition, Briatore and Oakes also played a role in restructuring the entire team at Enstone and Viry, which included laying off nearly 200 staff members at Enstone alone. Explaining the need behind the overhaul, Oakes told Motorsport.com:

"At that time it wasn't just Viry that was getting a little bit reorganised, we were also doing the same on the site in Enstone.

"I think we've proven that was the right thing to do and at the end of every team in F1 is always striving to get better, but also to get more efficient.

"In a budget cap world, you've got to make sure you're putting resources in the right area. And I think the mainstay of that topic was that we need to focus on the main thing, which is building a good racing car and going racing.

"And that's been a real ethos since I arrived in the team in July there, that everything is about making a better car and going racing."

He added:

"I'd say we're now around 900 [people in Enstone]. Look, I think obviously everyone in F1 talks about headcount.

"And some people calculate that as whether you're counting people in cap, out of cap, whether you're producing your own gearbox and suspension or not. I dare say we're one of the sort of smaller outfits now, considering we do the whole car."

Oakes noted the F1 legacy associated with the Enstone facility and revealed significant investments in necessary infrastructure, which he explained is an ongoing process. The 36-year-old team boss added:

"Enstone has been there a long time. The walls have got more history in F1 than most factories, but we've got the right amount of resources there. The main resource today is good people and we've got a lot of great people there.

"There has been a lot of investment the past few years, which also shows the support and commitment from the group at the end of the day. We've got a new simulator, new dyno, all those things that probably haven't been spoken about, but we have everything we need.

"But we are continuing to invest. That's one thing that's amazed me in F1, it's not just the wish list of what they want on the race car. It's also all the toys around that. It never stops."