F1 boss announces significant cuts in MAJOR team.....

F1 boss announces significant cuts in MAJOR team…..read more

Flavio Briatore, the former Renault F1 team boss, has revealed that significant restructuring efforts are underway at Alpine, including substantial job cuts, as the team embarks on a major overhaul in an attempt to revitalize its performance in Formula 1. Briatore, who returned to Alpine in June as the team’s Executive Advisor, is taking decisive actions to address the team’s underperformance and to refocus the outfit on becoming more competitive in the coming seasons.

Alpine’s struggles in the 2024 F1 season have been well-documented, with the team consistently falling behind in terms of pace, while also facing internal and external criticism for its management decisions. A key point of contention has been Alpine’s decision to discontinue its in-house engine development program at its Viry-Chatillon facility, which has historically been a vital part of the team’s identity. The French team will stop producing its own power units after 2025, with Mercedes lined up to provide the engines moving forward. This shift in engine strategy has raised many eyebrows within the F1 community, but Briatore is emphasizing that it is part of a broader plan to streamline the team’s operations and ensure future competitiveness.

In addition to the changes in engine production, Briatore is leading a comprehensive overhaul of the team’s structure and personnel. The restructuring effort has included significant cuts to the workforce, with the team shedding around 300 jobs as part of what Briatore has called “spring cleaning.” These job cuts represent a stark shift in Alpine’s approach, as Briatore is aiming to refocus the team on its core mission: winning races. Under his leadership, Alpine is tightening its focus on its F1 operations, working to eliminate excess bureaucracy, and ensuring that all personnel are directly contributing to the team’s racing ambitions.

Briatore expressed his belief that the team needed to return to its roots and adopt a more streamlined, race-centric philosophy. He made it clear that the changes are not just about reducing headcount but are also about ensuring that the right people, with the right mindset and skills, are in place to push the team forward. He explained that when he arrived at Alpine, the team had around 1,150 employees, a number that has now been reduced to 850 as part of the ongoing restructure. This reduction in workforce is a result of both eliminating inefficiencies and refocusing the team on its primary goal of competing at the highest level in Formula 1.

As part of this restructuring, Briatore has also overseen changes in the team’s operational structure. Alpine’s UK division is being restructured to become more independent, with the team’s focus now solely on the racing side of the business. Briatore emphasized that engineers should be engineers, and their work should be entirely focused on developing competitive F1 cars. This shift in philosophy marks a return to the approach that was prevalent during the team’s earlier years under Renault, where the emphasis was squarely on racing performance and technical excellence. Briatore’s comments highlight a clear intent to eliminate distractions and refocus the team on its performance on the track.

The changes to the team’s structure are also designed to allow Alpine to make a smoother transition to the 2025 F1 season. Briatore acknowledged that Alpine made progress with its 2024 car, but the main focus is now on developing a competitive car for 2025. He stressed that the team is taking a different approach than many of its rivals, who may be forced to take a step backward before moving forward. Alpine, on the other hand, is focused on making immediate progress, with a clear goal of returning to the front of the grid as soon as possible.

Briatore’s “spring cleaning” approach also reflects his desire to create a more agile and focused team, where every member is aligned with the team’s ultimate goal of returning to the upper echelons of Formula 1. He suggested that the previous structure of Alpine had become too bloated and unwieldy, with individuals more focused on company-related issues than on the actual task of winning races. This overhaul aims to strip away those layers and get back to the fundamentals of racing.

The announcement of these cuts and changes marks a bold new direction for Alpine, and Briatore is clearly confident that these efforts will pay off in the long run. By streamlining the team’s operations and refocusing on its core racing activities, Alpine hopes to return to competitiveness in a sport that demands constant innovation and precision. While the job cuts and the discontinuation of the engine program are significant, Briatore believes that these steps are necessary for Alpine to achieve success in the highly competitive world of Formula 1.

In summary, Alpine’s drastic restructuring under Flavio Briatore marks a fundamental shift in the team’s approach. With a focus on reducing overheads, streamlining operations, and returning to its roots as a competitive F1 team, Alpine hopes to position itself for a stronger future. The team is making these tough decisions with the ultimate goal of improving performance, particularly in the upcoming 2025 season. Briatore’s leadership is aimed at making Alpine more efficient, more focused, and better equipped to challenge the front-runners in Formula 1.