Alpine F1 Team has unveiled its A524 racecar for the 2024 season, with Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly, entering their second year together, displaying patience and belief in the fundamentally changed concept.
On Wednesday, Alpine presented both its new F1 car, the A524, and the A424 for the WEC at its Enstone base.
The French outfit finished sixth in last year’s F1 standings, two places down from its fourth position in 2022. However, Ocon and Gasly, as a new partnership, scored podiums in Monaco and the Netherlands, respectively, with Gasly also securing third in the Spa sprint race, marking the team’s highlights.
In the latter part of last season, Alpine underwent significant changes in its senior management structure, with former CEO and team principal Laurent Rossi departing before the Hungarian Grand Prix. Bruno Famin, who had recently been promoted to vice president, assumed the role of team principal.
The A524 retains Alpine’s signature blue and BWT’s distinctive pink, but with more exposed carbon fiber in black. As in the previous year, the A524 will feature two liveries – a standard blue scheme for 16 races and a predominantly pink livery for the remaining eight events of the 24-race season.
At the launch, Alpine’s Technical Director, Matt Harman, said that only the steering wheel was carried over from the 2023 car, adding that the “new philosophy is designed for the next two seasons, leveraging learnings from previous iterations to introduce innovative solutions.” This daring approach, according to the team, would allow for continuous upgrades throughout the next two years, giving the drivers more room for setup adjustments.
Nonetheless, acknowledging the transition period that might be required for the A524 to reach its full potential, the team is mentally prepared for a slower start.
“That’s possible,” Ocon told Motorsport.com. “We have a new concept, a brand new car, and usually when you do that, you take a step back. I’m not saying it will be like that because we haven’t run yet, but our plan is to improve constantly throughout the year.”
“It’s important to get good feedback straight away so we know where to work and if we’re on the right path with our philosophy. Our starting point isn’t crucial, but how we are mid-season will be key.”
Alpine A524
Photo by: Alpine
Gasly, entering his second season with the French outfit, also emphasized the need for patience with the new car, acknowledging the higher risks involved in starting from scratch but highlighting the potential for significant rewards.
Last season’s decline for Alpine was due to the substantial progress made by McLaren and Aston Martin. The latter scored six podiums in the first eight races, while McLaren, after recognizing issues with its initial concept, managed to challenge Red Bull later in the year. Gasly believes Alpine can emulate such a turnaround.
“It definitely shows that it’s possible to make big comebacks in Formula 1 over a season,” said Gasly, who turned 28 on the day of the announcement. “Of course, it depends on how you start the season, so I’m absolutely hopeful.”
“I see the spirit within the team. I see this energy, the recruitment, the direction we’re taking as a team. We’re making the right steps.”
“In F1, when you introduce an entirely new philosophy, it’s not straightforward, and it may not deliver all the rewards you expect straight away. You have to approach it with an open mind. But looking at what other teams did, we’ll draw inspiration from them. There were certainly a few stories last year that will give the whole team hope and motivation.”
Mick Schumacher, still serving as Mercedes’ reserve driver in F1, made his public debut in Alpine’s WEC team colors alongside experienced racer Nicolas Lapierre and Matthieu Vaxiviere in the No. 36 entry.