The F1 team principal tipped to come under ‘immense pressure’

Bruno Famin is “going to be coming under immense pressure” following Alpine’s disastrous start to the 2024 F1 season, it has been claimed.

Alpine have endured a dreadful start to the new season, with the A524 considered the slowest car in the field. The Enstone-based outfit are yet to score points in 2024, having finished no higher than 13th.

Esteban Ocon came home a lowly 15th at the Japanese Grand Prix, one place ahead of teammate Pierre Gasly, who also suffered his fourth straight Q1 exit at Suzuka.

And Sky F1’s pitlane reporter Ted Kravitz has suggested that Famin, who was made interim team principal following Otmar Szafnauer’s departure before continuing in the role for this season, will be feeling the heat.

“There are some improvements coming to the car for Miami. They’re working very, very hard at Enstone to bring some improvements to the car,” Kravitz said on ‘Ted’s Notebook’ after Sunday’s race.

“Alpine and Enstone, you’ll need some speed, because today [race day at the Japanese Grand Prix] was not good, but not – according to Pierre Gasly – through his fault. He got hit on the second restart and lost 30 points of downforce.

“So while it was a great opportunity for Esteban Ocon on the restart, because he restarted P13, both went hard tyre for the restart, but Gasly got damage and couldn’t one-stop, had to go onto the medium and then again for three stops Pierre Gasly, such was the damage to his floor from that contact at the second restart.

“Esteban Ocon, not such a bad race, also couldn’t make the one-stop work, so didn’t, but finished P15.

“But you’ve got to say, I spoke to Bruno Famin, the Alpine team boss on Friday, he is going to be coming under immense pressure as the man responsible for this very slow car at the moment.

“He explained it by saying the usual stuff, that they’re changing processes and changing design concepts. But other than that that is true, it doesn’t mean that the pressure will be any less on the boss, because Luca de Meo, the head of Renault, who owns the team, will want performance and answers.

“They’re not in this, Renault, they’re not in this Formula 1 lark, to finish 15th and 16th.”