Veteran operations director leaves struggling Alpine F1 team

Veteran operations director Rob White has departed Alpine amid their struggles during the 2024 F1 season.

58-year-old White, who had worked at Enstone for 20 years, was officially removed from the position he has held since 2016 by Alpine team principal Bruno Famin on Wednesday, according to a report by BBC Sport.

An Alpine spokesperson told Crash.net: "As part of the team's wider operational restructure, we can confirm the departure of Rob White.

"The team is thankful for Rob's efforts during his long career both at Enstone and at Viry-Chatillon, where he led the championship-winning engine project in 2005 and 2006. We wish him the best in his future endeavours."

White’s sacking marks the latest of a series of organisational changes within Alpine after a turbulent start to the new F1 season.

The French squad began the campaign well off the place after taking a wrong car design direction, which led to the departures of both technical director Matt Harman and head of aerodynamics Dirk de Beer following the Bahrain Grand Prix in March.

Design engineer Bob Bell then left the team just days later in order to join Aston Martin.

Following his brief stint at McLaren, former Ferrari engineer David Sanchez was signed in May as Famin created a new three-pronged technical structure.

Alpine have been rocked by several high-profile departures over the last year, with brand CEO Laurent Rossi removed by Renault chief Luca de Meo last July.

Team principal Otmar Szafnauer and long-serving sporting director Alan Permane were next to exit Alpine, with both leaving ahead of last year’s Belgian Grand Prix.

After finishing sixth in 2023, Alpine have managed just two points so far this season, leaving them ninth in the constructors’ championship.

Pierre Gasly’s 10th place finish at last weekend’s Monaco Grand Prix was overshadowed by a collision with teammate Esteban Ocon, who has been given a five-place grid penalty for the next event in Canada.