Alpine F1 - Can They Escape the Crisis Pit Lane?

Alpine is falling apart. This team that was once a Formula 1 powerhouse is now languishing at the back of the grid in free fall. Dismal track performance, endless leadership shuffles, and uncertainty that threatens the very existence of the team. From where I'm sitting, they're heading toward a point of no return.

The Starting Point of Collapse - Everything Broke Down at Once

Track Disaster: From A524 to A525

It all started at the 2024 Bahrain Grand Prix. P17 and P18. This was the reality for a team that once fought for championships. The A524 was fundamentally flawed from the design stage, and both the Technical Director and Head of Aerodynamics were immediately dismissed. No surprises there.

We thought 2025 would be different. At least when they unveiled the A525 with such ambition. But now, 10 rounds into the season, Alpine sits dead last in the Constructors' Championship with a measly 11 points. All of which came from Gasly alone.

The car's performance has actually gotten worse than 2024. They've become the team with the biggest performance drop on the grid (-0.726 seconds). Honestly, when you watch the races, you can see the performance limitations with your own eyes.

Replacing Jack Doohan with Colapinto after just 6 races might end up being another futile move. Colapinto hasn't scored a single point yet either. The problem wasn't the driver - it was the car itself.

Revolving Door Leadership - Does Leadership Even Exist?

Alpine's top positions are literally a revolving door. In just the past 12 months, the Brand CEO, Team Principal, and Sporting Director have all left. Since 2020, seven different directors have passed through the team in five years. Is this normal organizational management?

The knockout blow was Luca de Meo's resignation in June 2025. As Renault Group CEO, he was the architect of the 'Renaulution' strategy and Alpine F1's strongest supporter. With him gone, who's left in the Renault Group to protect Alpine? Nobody.

De Meo's successor will likely evaluate the F1 team purely on financial terms without emotional attachment. Massive costs with terrible results. The math is simple.

Sale Rumors - Now Reality

Looking at past interviews, Chairman de Meo had strongly denied sale rumors. But with Luca de Meo gone, those denials no longer mean anything.

The new Renault leadership will likely view the F1 team from a purely financial perspective. Is there any reason to keep absorbing these kinds of losses? Sale rumors are no longer speculation - they've become the most realistic scenario.

Strategic Surrender - Abandoning Works Team Pride

Engine Program Abandonment - End of 47 Years of History

In October 2024, Renault announced they would end their F1 engine program after the 2025 season. It marked the end of 47 years of history that began with F1's first turbo engine in 1977. Think about how many victories Renault engines have created.

From 2026, they'll become a customer team using Mercedes engines. Sure, customer teams can win championships like McLaren did last year. But abandoning engine development has two meanings: first, it's admitting technological inferiority, and second, it's massively cutting investment.

In my view, once these cuts begin, they'll likely become more conservative about funding needed for other parts of the team. If you're saving money on engines, are you really going to spend freely on chassis development?

Alpine has signaled that their goal is now survival, not victory. They're aiming to score points in the midfield. Where did their former ambitions go?

Talent Drain - Becoming Rivals' Hunting Ground

The team's unstable situation has made their employees prime targets for competing teams. Cadillac, joining the 2026 grid, poses the biggest threat. With Cadillac needing about 300 people in 2025 and 600 in 2026, Alpine employees are perfect prey.

If this 'brain drain' continues, the team's technical capabilities will further deteriorate. It's a vicious cycle of decline. Poor results make people leave, and people leaving makes results even worse.

Briatore's Gamble - Savior or Dictator?

Flavio Briatore's Dangerous Return

Flavio Briatore, who led Benetton and Renault through their glory days, has returned as 'Executive Advisor.'

I am a democratic dictator.

His return, describing himself this way, is a high-risk, high-reward gamble. He definitely has strong leadership, but he's equally dangerous.

He was banned from F1 as the mastermind behind the 2008 'Crashgate' scandal, and rumors suggest his autocratic style has already sparked internal power struggles. The bigger problem is his unpredictable behavior. He publicly contradicts the team's official announcements, calling them "fabricated nonsense."

Driver Lineup Chaos

The 2025 driver situation perfectly illustrates Alpine's chaos. Look at what happened when they replaced Doohan with Colapinto after just 6 races - it's absolutely ridiculous.

• Official announcement: Colapinto would compete in "the next 5 races"
• Briatore's contradiction: "The 5-race report is fabricated nonsense, decisions based purely on performance"

Management publicly denying the team's official announcements. Is this normal team operation? It's proof of poor communication and internal power struggles.

Where's the Future Heading - Three Scenarios

Alpine is trapped in a complete vicious cycle of decline. Poor performance leads to leadership instability, which leads to strategic retreat and talent drain.

First: Surviving as a Mediocre Customer Team?

The team regains stability and becomes a mid-upper field team with Mercedes engines. But the goal is no longer championships - it's consistent point scoring. In some ways, this is the most realistic target.

Second: Inevitable Sale?

The new Renault CEO eventually sells the team, and the 'Alpine' name disappears from F1. Economically speaking, this is the most rational choice. Will the French people really accept seeing France's pride disappear?

Third: Briatore's Final Gamble?

A high-risk, high-reward wild card. Briatore either transforms the team back into a powerhouse, or his autocratic methods cause even greater chaos leading to complete collapse.

Can Alpine Actually Survive?

To be honest, Alpine's future looks dark. But if they want to overcome this crisis, there's a lot to fix.

• Establish permanent leadership: Stable team management without political interference
• Clarify ownership intentions: Swift, clear long-term plans from the new Renault CEO
• Stop core talent hemorrhaging: People might all leave before any plans can be made

Alpine F1 Team is standing at the edge of a cliff right now. Can this team that was once Renault and France's pride escape from the crisis pit lane? Or will they just fade into F1 history as they are?