The final surge of Alpine is the image of a team back on track after the early-year slip. The sixth place in the Constructors’ Championship would not have been possible without the unexpected podium in Brazil, but in the last month, the team confirmed its achievement with respectable performances. Behind this, there has been a complete overhaul of the project, with its true impact expected to be felt with the upcoming regulations.
The early-year problems
The prospects for 2024 were not the best for Alpine, which was dealing with the technical delay accumulated with the previous project. The team found itself having to revolutionize the concept, moving away from that of 2023, which was responsible for a car with a narrow working window, subject to excessive downforce loss with varying ride heights, and with a plateaued aerodynamic development. On top of this, there was poor integration between the chassis and the power unit, due to inefficient communication between the Enstone and Viry Chatillon facilities.
Alpine spared no effort in developing the new concept for the 2024 car, starting with the different installation of the power unit. Moving the battery towards the rear helps recalibrate the weight distribution, while the new internal bodywork improves the cooling fluid dynamics. The team also reconsidered the kinematics and internal mechanics of the front and rear suspensions, additionally lightening the transmission to free up volume in the diffuser.
The most important innovations concern the chassis, as explained during the presentation by former technical director Matt Harman: “The chassis was designed to give the aerodynamics team as much freedom as possible to express the concept, not only for the launch version but also for the updates.” This aggressive approach from Alpine required the crash tests to be repeated. Delays in homologation and subsequent changes contributed to making the A524 heavier, with an excess over the minimum weight that partly explains why the early-season times were higher than in 2023.
Development during the year
Despite the overhaul of the concept, the A524 retained the behavioral traits of the 2023 car. Alpine continued to perform best on smoother surfaces, like those in Barcelona or Qatar, which allowed the car to run stiff and close to the ground. Conversely, on bumpier tracks or those with high curbs, the car tended to fall out of its working window. However, the problems did not end there, with noticeable traction issues explaining why the car performed better on tracks more limiting for the front end.
Additionally, Alpine faced more difficulties as several key figures in the technical department, including director Harman, left, forcing a reorganization that inevitably slowed development. From Shanghai to Austin, for 6 months, the A524 lacked significant aerodynamic updates. In compensation, the weight reduction brought the car back in line with the minimum weight around May-June, shaving important tenths off the lap times.
It wasn’t until the Texas race that the first real development package arrived, mainly affecting the sidepods and floor, followed by the new front wing introduced in Qatar. The results soon followed, with notable finishes like 5th place in Qatar, 7th in Abu Dhabi, and second row in qualifying at Las Vegas, plus the double podium in São Paulo, aided by rain. Even more than in the performance, the importance of the end-of-year updates lies in the inauguration of a different aerodynamic development philosophy, highlighted by the new front wing design. The latest developments helped gather valuable information for 2025, in addition to the millions earned from the 6th place finish in the Constructors’ Championship.
Looking towards 2025 and beyond
The front wing in Qatar highlighted a different structure of airflow directed towards the suspension and floor, previewing a new development path for next year. In 2025, a new suspension concept is also expected, with curiosity about whether Alpine will adopt the pull-rod solution at the front. However, with the ground effect era nearing its end, the French team’s project is a long-term one, to be judged only after the 2026 regulations.
Beyond the car improvements, the 2024 season stands out for the reorganization of the workforce under the returning Briatore’s supervision. The most significant change is the switch between Bruno Famin and Oliver Oakes as Team Principal, alongside the appointment of David Sanchez as technical director. The addition of the former Ferrari and McLaren man is not the only technical move, with the arrival of Michael Broadhurst and Vin Dahanani from Red Bull as the heads of aerodynamics and vehicle performance, respectively, tasked with laying the foundations for the 2026 technical cycle.
In addition to the technical decisions, the priority will be to establish better communication with the drivers, who for years, according to departing Esteban Ocon, were left unheard: “I believe that from my side, from Fernando (Alonso), from Pierre (Gasly), and from Daniel (Ricciardo), we’ve said a lot about car development. Unfortunately, at a certain point, there was a short circuit. We gave feedback, but we never received confirmation or feedback. Sometimes we weren’t listened to as we should have been. We’re still carrying some issues from a couple of years ago. We’ve improved a lot of other things, but you can’t wait years to solve some issues.” Preparing the team to listen to the drivers will be crucial to correct problems in future projects promptly, but above all, it would show proof of a cultural renewal within the team.
Mercedes, the uncertainties of the leap
The key theme of Alpine’s revolution, however, is the engine. In 2023, the French team complained of a 30-horsepower deficit, with the Viry Chatillon department trying to recover power for 2024 by working within the reduced development margins due to the engine freeze. For example, softening the exhaust channels reduces the wasted work in gas pumping, increasing usable power, while better heat retention in the gases ensures better energy recovery through the MGU-H, prolonging the hybrid supply. Despite these efforts, however, the French power unit is still the least competitive on the grid, costing about 3 tenths per lap, according to the team’s representatives.
The technical delay combined with the high development costs is pushing Renault to end its role as an engine supplier, relying on Mercedes for the 2026 power units, whose development is accompanied by promising rumors. The news raises some concerns for the future, related to the lateness of an agreement that leaves Alpine very little time to agree on the best architecture for the next engine, with no other option but to accept Mercedes’ already defined choices.
This all takes place within the context of the 2026 regulations, in which, as noted by Adrian Newey, “the integration between the power unit and chassis will be more important than ever.” The engine and hybrid parts’ volumes, in fact, will influence the bodywork’s shapes, which are crucial for shielding a higher floor, generally more exposed to external turbulence. Alpine’s transformation from engine supplier to customer team deprives the team of its technical independence, just before a regulation where the aerodynamic concept will depend on hybrid delivery strategies, further linking the engine and chassis. Only time will tell if the foundations of the new project will be successful, with the awareness that a change was necessary.
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