Former F1 Champion Makes Bold Alpine 'Anti-Marketing' Claim Amid Engine Woes

Former F1 champion Nico Rosberg criticizes Alpine's decision to potentially switch to using Mercedes engines.

Oct 21, 2023; Austin, Texas, USA; BWT Alpine F1 driver Esteban Ocon (31) of Team France drives during the Sprint Race of the 2023 United States Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Former Formula 1 Champion Nico Rosberg has not minced words in his criticism of Alpine's decision to shift their engine strategy. The team has confirmed plans to potentially become a customer team rather than develop their own power units, a move Rosberg vehemently opposes.

Bruno Famin, Alpine's former team principal, announced the decision during his final Grand Prix weekend, explaining that the shift would enable the team to better allocate resources toward brand development and other power units. Famin explained, as quoted by GP Blog:

"One of the consequences of this project, if it's accepted, would be for the Alpine F1 team to buy a power unit instead of developing their own power unit. Then we will have more resources to develop the brand and the different power units to race for the Formula 1 team."

However, Rosberg finds this strategy fundamentally flawed. He argues that relying on an external power unit, particularly from a competitor like Mercedes, is counterproductive. He explained during the Sky Sports F1 broadcast last weekend:

"It is such a successful engine company. We want to have variety. Having a Mercedes in the back of the Alpine makes no sense to me. That's just completely wrong.

"It won't work for the team long term anyway because they are on here for marketing and that's not going to work for marketing. Having a Mercedes engine in an Alpine is anti-marketing. [Saying] our engines are not good enough. That's anti-marketing!"

The controversy has not stopped at vocal criticisms. During the Italian Grand Prix weekend, employees of the French team staged a peaceful protest to voice their displeasure against the engine development shift. Despite these internal tensions, the team has reportedly been in negotiations with Mercedes to secure their power units, although no successful agreements have been reached so far.

Renault, Alpine’s parent company, boasts a storied history in Formula 1. From powering Red Bull Racing to four consecutive World Championships between 2010 and 2013, to victories with Williams, Benetton, and their own team with Fernando Alonso in 2005 and 2006, Renault engines have been synonymous with success in the sport.

2024 F1 Constructors' Standings

1. Red Bull Racing - 446 points
2. McLaren - 438 points
3. Ferrari - 407 points
4. Mercedes - 292 points
5. Aston Martin - 74 points
6. VCARB - 34 points
7. Haas - 28 points
8. Alpine - 13 points
9. Williams - 6 points
10. Sauber - 0 points