The Alpine F1 Team has announced a significant leadership change with the appointment of Oliver Oakes as its new Team Principal. Oakes, currently leading the successful Hitech Grand Prix teams in Formula 2 and Formula 3, will take the helm following the summer break.
This news comes after speculation arose during the Belgian Grand Prix weekend, with Motorsport.com initially identifying Oakes as the frontrunner to replace Bruno Famin. Famin will be returning to Renault's Viry-Chatillon headquarters.
Oakes brings an impressive motorsport pedigree to Alpine. A former world karting champion, he has steered Hitech to victories across various racing categories. At 36 years old, Oakes becomes the second-youngest team principal in modern F1 history, following the footsteps of Christian Horner who took charge of Red Bull at the young age of 31.
"I'm incredibly grateful to Luca de Meo and Flavio Briatore for this opportunity to lead the BWT Alpine F1 Team back to being a competitive force," said Oakes. "The team boasts talented individuals and exceptional resources, and I'm confident we can achieve great things together, both for the rest of this season and beyond. I can't wait to get started after the summer break."
The decision to appoint Oakes reflects Alpine's commitment to fostering young talent. Flavio Briatore, an F1 advisor for the team, expressed his enthusiasm: "We're thrilled to have Oli Oakes join our Formula 1 project. Oli is a highly gifted leader with a proven track record of success in racing. His appointment exemplifies our belief in both our team and the potential of young, rising stars. I look forward to working closely with him as we strive to climb the grid and secure race wins."
Renault CEO Luca de Meo echoed this sentiment, welcoming Oakes as "one of the youngest team principals this sport has ever seen." He added, "This appointment underscores our commitment to building a team for long-term success. Oli's passion, energy, and enthusiasm for racing are infectious, and we look forward to channeling that spirit across the entire team."
With Oakes at the helm, the future looks bright for Alpine F1. His youthful energy and proven leadership in junior formulas position him well to guide the team back to competitive glory.
