By Le Figaro with AFP
Published 22 minutes ago, Updated now
There will be changes at Alpine before the next Grand Prix. DPPI / DPPI / Panoramic
The French team has parted ways with its technical director and its chief aerodynamicist who designed the 2024 single-seater after a failed start to the season last weekend.
Less than forty-eight hours after a disastrous start in Bahrain for the opening of the World Championship, the Alpine team announced that it would carry out “organizational changes” with the appointment of three new technical directors. “We have decided to make organizational changes because we clearly see that we are not where we want or need to be in terms of performance”declared Bruno Famin, boss of the team, in a press release.
Technical director and chief aerodynamicist leave the team
After a 2023 season ended in sixth place in the constructors’ standings, the Renault group brand saw its two French drivers, Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly, take 17th and 18th place in the Bahrain Grand Prix on Saturday after disastrous qualifying in bottom of grid.
“The team announces the appointments of Joe Burnell as technical director (engineering), David Wheater as technical director (aerodynamics) and Ciaron Pilbeam as technical director (performance)”, writes Alpine. To get back to the top of the ranking, Alpine had already completely revised its copy before the start of the season, making significant changes concerning suspensions, kinematics, aerodynamics… Technical director Matt Harman and chief aerodynamicist Dirk de Beer, who had been involved in the design of the A524, resigned from their positions. Two very worrying departures for the rest of the season.
“This new three-pillar structure with three technical directors, each specialized in different areas, will bring better work and collaboration in our technical areas, to contribute to the performance of our factories at the track”assures Bruno Famin who headed to Saudi Arabia, to Jeddah, where the second grand prix of the season will be held.
