F1: how did Alpine re-emerge in 2024?

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The team that hired Franco Colapinto as a reserve for this year had a terrible start in the previous season and at the end took a leap. His technical director explains what happened.

David Sanchez graduated as an engineer from the École Nationale Supérieure de Mécanique et d’Aérotechnique and in 2005 he joined the Renault Formula 1 team. as a junior aerodynamicist. Two years later he moved to McLaren, where he became head of aerodynamics. His time in Woking was cut short to dress in Ferrari red in October 2012. His rise to the top at Maranello took him to the position of concept director and head of aerodynamics at La Rossa. Surprisingly, the Frenchman submitted his resignation in the early stages of the 2023 season, after a failed start of the SF-23 model and set his sights on his return to McLaren for 2024, after the gardening period. However, his union with the English team lasted just three months: the agreement was dissolved by mutual agreement and the doors were opened for Sanchez to find a more tempting proposal. And it came from Alpine, the team that has just hired Franco Colapinto as a reserve driver for this year.

Sanchez immediately took over the Enstone team as executive technical director, reports directly to Oliver Oakes (the team director) and has under his orbit the heads of the car development sectors: Claron Pilbeam (head of performance ), Joe Burnell (engineering) and David Wheater (aerodynamics). Back in May 2024, when the ex-Ferrari arrived at Alpine, the team was adrift. Five races had passed without any points and the French were sailing in the basement of the Constructors’ table. Sanchez began to work and the fruits came in the second half of the season, with the 65 units that allowed the Frenchmen to finish in sixth place in the Constructors and with the double podium for Brazil (Esteban Ocon was second and Pierre Gasly, third ) as the highest point.

Speaking to Motorsport.com, Sanchez explains how the A524 resurfaced. “The car was not performing because at the beginning of the year it was very heavy, and aerodynamically it was a bit cornered. So before I joined, they had already done a very good job of saving weight. That’s clear. The car was again close to the limit and we completely steered the direction of aerodynamic development. The chassis and weight of the car were one issue, and the aerodynamic characteristics were another. All in all, it was not a good start to the year. “The chassis was fixed, the weight was recovered, and now it looks like we have most of the aerodynamics back,” the engineer said.

Alpine added 54 of its 65 points after the summer break and accumulated 35 in San Pablo. To the weight and aerodynamic problems that the A524 had, we must add the lack of power of its engine, the weakest of the four on the grid and which led the priests to make the decision to close their impeller plant. at the end of 2025 and be a Mercedes customer from 2026. “I think we are returning to a reasonable level. But I wouldn’t say that’s where the team should be, because if you have the people, you have the infrastructure, where do you aspire to be?” Sanchez said.

To close, the Frenchman made it clear where Alpine is aiming: “I think some teams are content with being in the middle of the grid. That’s not where we would like to be. We have resources to be competitive. So, for now, let’s say that we have recovered from the bad start to the season. “Now we just have to keep going, keep going and keep getting better.”