Over the course of the season, Alonso failed to finish in six grands prix, adding to the already hefty tally of DNFs that have plagued his recent F1 career. While in the past it has cost him world titles, in 2022 it only cost him eighth in the drivers’ standings, missing out to his team-mate by just 11 points.
As the season drew to a close, notable performances in Japan and Brazil ultimately helped Alpine pull clear of McLaren in the constructors’ standings, Ocon leading the way at Suzuka, finishing fourth, and Alonso crossing the line fifth in Sao Paulo.
Despite the relative success, Alonso’s frustration with the team’s reliability, combined with his heated on-track exchanges with Ocon and the odd row with senior management, eventually boiled over and Alonso opted to join Aston Martin as Sebastian Vettel‘s replacement for the 2023 season.
2023: A critical season
2023 represents a critical step for Alpine in its pursuit to contend for F1 world titles. For a time, the departure of Alonso also meant the departure of a definite world title-winning talent, with questions marks still surrounding Ocon’s consistency.
The addition of Gasly doesn’t exactly solve that problem, but it does open up many possibilities. Previously driving for AlphaTauri, Gasly was announced as Alonso’s replacement in a ‘silly season’ to remember, partnering Ocon to complete a full French driver line-up.
Notoriously, the pair have a heated past, acting as rivals through their junior karting career and consequently spilling over into their careers in F1. But when they were announced as team-mates at Alpine, both drivers admitted that their past was behind them, and would be putting their best foot forward in helping the team move further up the grid.
Yes, it’s a nice sentiment, but when the sparks start flying in Bahrain, could an old rivalry reignite?
Alpine 2023 F1 driver line-up
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| Esteban Ocon | Pierre Gasly |
- Esteban Ocon signed a contract extension with Alpine in 2021, keeping him with the team until 2025.
- Leaving AlphaTauri, Pierre Gasly joins Alpine in 2023, signing a multi-year deal.
Key personnel
Team Principal: Otmar Szafnauer
With 25 years of F1 experience, Otmar Szafnauer has become a respected and successful figure – a reputation he has kept in his first year as team principal of Alpine.
Replacing Cyril Abiteboul after his dismissal in 2021, Szafnauer was tasked with returning the Renault-powered Alpine to its previous days spent at the front of the grid – earning Alonso his world titles in 2005 and 2006. In 2022, he made significant progress in achieving that goal, but the Enstone-based team still has a serious gap to close before contending with the likes of Mercedes, Red Bull and Ferrari.
CEO: Laurent Rossi
Appointed CEO in 2021, Rossi has been at the forefront of the team’s development over the past two seasons and remains a key player in its future development. Although at the centre of the drama that surrounded the 2022 ‘silly season’, losing junior driver Oscar Piastri to Mclaren, Rossi redeemed his reputation by tempting grand prix-winner Gasly away from the Red Bull family.
As well as heading up its F1 team, Rossi is responsible for leading Alpine’s global development and strengthening its position in the sports car market. He is known for both his passion for motor sport, but also his willingness to speak his mind. He has emphasised Alpine’s commitment to racing, including the company’s entry into the Hypercar class of the World Endurance Championship with a grandfathered LMP1 machine in 2021 and its forthcoming ‘true’ Hypercar project for 2024.