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Key Points

Alpine F1 is in disarray after Team Principal Oliver Oakes resigned just ten months into his role, with Flavio Briatore stepping in to fill the void. The upheaval follows reports of a driver swap, with Jack Doohan set to be replaced by Franco Colapinto. Briatore, a controversial figure due to his past involvement in the Crashgate scandal, has been increasingly influential behind the scenes. Alpine's leadership instability continues as multiple senior figures have departed in recent years.

Key Points: Alpine F1 Chaos as Oakes Quits Amid Briatore Return and Driver Swap

  • Oliver Oakes resigns after just 10 months as Alpine Team Principal
  • Flavio Briatore expands role amid driver swap controversy
  • Alpine faces leadership instability with multiple senior exits
  • Briatore returns after 2008 Crashgate scandal overturned
2 min read

Formula 1: Chaos at Alpine as team boss Oakes leaves amid driver swap

Alpine F1 descends into turmoil as Oliver Oakes resigns, Flavio Briatore takes charge, and Jack Doohan is replaced by Franco Colapinto.

"*Flavio Briatore will continue as Executive Advisor and cover the duties previously performed by Oliver Oakes.* – Alpine F1 Team Statement"

Beijing, May 7

The Alpine Formula 1 team has been plunged into chaos with news that Oliver Oakes has resigned as Team Principal just ten months after joining the team.

"BWT Alpine Formula One Team announces that Oliver Oakes has resigned from his role as Team Principal," read a team statement.

"As of today, Flavio Briatore will continue as Executive Advisor and will also be covering the duties previously performed by Oliver Oakes."

Oakes' resignation comes one day after it was widely reported that driver Jack Doohan was to be replaced from the next Grand Prix onwards by reserve Franco Colapinto.

Briatore, 75, has long been associated with the Enstone-based team, serving as Team Principal during its Benetton and Renault eras. Under his leadership, the team captured three Constructors' and four Drivers' Championships.

However, his tenure ended in disgrace after the 2008 Crashgate scandal, in which driver Nelson Piquet was instructed to crash deliberately during the Singapore Grand Prix to help teammate Fernando Alonso win.

The fallout led to Briatore's exit from Renault and a subsequent ban from FIA-sanctioned events, later overturned by a French court.

The Italian made a shock return to the F1 paddock in July 2024 - and was widely thought to wield considerably more power at Alpine than his title would suggest, with Oakes having little influence behind the scenes.

Oakes' resignation is the latest in a series of senior management departures at Alpine, reflecting deep-rooted instability at the top of the organization.

Otmar Szafnauer took over as Team Principal in early 2022, but left in July 2023 as part of a sweeping leadership shakeup that also saw the exits of Chief Technical Officer Pat Fry and long-serving Sporting Director Alan Permane.

Bruno Famin briefly succeeded Szafnauer but stepped down in August 2024, making way for Oakes.

The upheaval at Alpine has also extended beyond the leadership tier. Technical Director Matt Harman and Head of Aerodynamics Dirk de Beer both resigned in early 2024, while Rob White, a veteran with over two decades at Renault and Alpine, stepped down as Operations Director in May 2024.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

R
Rahul K.
Alpine seems to be in complete disarray! As an F1 fan from India, it's painful to see such instability in a team with such heritage. Briatore's return is controversial - hope it doesn't become another Crashgate situation. The drivers must be feeling so uncertain right now.
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Priya M.
Why does Alpine keep changing leadership like we change clothes? 😅 First they fired Szafnauer, then Famin, now Oakes... Meanwhile our Indian drivers like Jehan Daruvala are waiting for opportunities while Alpine plays musical chairs with their seats!
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Arjun S.
Briatore's return shows Alpine is desperate. They need stability, not controversial figures from the past. The team reminds me of some of our Indian companies - too much politics, not enough focus on performance. Hope they sort it out before the season is completely lost.
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Neha R.
The driver swap is the most shocking part! Doohan was doing decently. This sudden change mid-season shows poor planning. In cricket terms, it's like dropping a player after one bad match without giving proper chances. Not how championship teams operate!
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Vikram J.
As someone who followed F1 since the Schumacher-Briatore days, this feels like going backwards. Alpine needs fresh thinking, not nostalgia. Maybe they should look at how Red Bull Racing operates - clear vision, stable leadership. Right now they're like a Bollywood remake nobody asked for.
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Sanjay P.
All this drama makes me appreciate teams like Ferrari and McLaren more. At least they have some consistency. Alpine's constant changes are affecting their performance - they're now behind even Haas in standings. Time for Renault to seriously rethink their F1 strategy.

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