Alpine is working on another step for its A524 after the summer break to gradually move forward in the Formula 1 midfield
Alpine is planning a “pretty big” upgrade for the final phase of the Formula 1 season, which will form the basis of the 2025 season car. The French manufacturer is going through a challenging 2024, with its A524 being the slowest car in the field at the start in Bahrain
Since then, the team has undergone major infrastructural changes, including the departure of technical director Matt Harman to Williams and the imminent departure of team principal Bruno Famin.
However, there have also been new arrivals, such as Flavio Briatore as Formula 1 Team Consultant and David Sanchez as Technical Director, while Oliver Oakes joins as the new Team Principal after the summer break.
These changes are taking place in parallel with solid progress on the race track. And after initial difficulties at the back of the field, the team is now a regular points scorer. The Enstone-based racing team is currently in eighth place in the constructors’ championship.
Sanchez: Upgrade “a few races after the break ”
Following a major upgrade introduced at the Belgian Grand Prix, the team has now announced plans for a big change scheduled for the final races of the season.
Speaking about the latest updates, Sanchez says: “This is a first step in the pipeline. We have another one that should be quite big and will form the basis for next year. We will definitely be working more on this year’s car.”
The Technical Director explains that the team has deliberately worked on a parallel program to introduce two stages of upgrades since he joined.
“We’ve been working on it since day one,” he reveals. “The other is an upgrade where we’re taking a bit more time to move forward.” When asked when the upgrade will come, Sanchez says: “A few races after the break. ”
While the early part of the season left Alpine struggling with an overweight car and major traction issues, Sanchez notes that the team is now mostly past the problem-solving phase and is instead focusing purely on performance upgrades.
New package for more downforce and top speed
“The main issue for everyone is to find more downforce and design out some of the anomalies we could see on the current car,” he says. “This new package is primarily for more downforce, but also for a little more top speed.”
As Sanchez only joined Alpine in May, he has not had much time to make extensive changes to the organization. However, he believes that the right developments are now underway, which should prepare the team well for the upcoming rule changes from 2026.
“From an infrastructural point of view, the team was already well advanced with its plans,” he explains. “But we looked together at whether we needed to prioritize some points more than others. I think where we are now, with the plan we have, when I think about 2026 and beyond, we should be in a good position.”
“Now it’s more about steering everything in the right direction, with this car, the next one, and building more confidence in the team,” emphasizes the Alpine technical boss.
