Alpine F1 To Make Mid-Season Gamble With Star Money From Travis Kelce, Patrick Mahomes and Ryan Reynolds on the Line

2023 saw a crucial off-track development take shape for Alpine. An investment group led by Otro Capital boosted the team’s financial status by bringing in huge funding. Led by NFL stars Travis Kelce and Patrick Mahomes, the group invested more than $200 million in the Enstone-based team. While many would think Alpine would use the money to sport a much better car than 2023, the reality is slightly different. According to a report from Formu1a.uno, they plan on improving mid-season.

The A524 may not be at its best at the start of the 2024 season. Instead, the team plans on bringing mid-season upgrades to improve the car step by step. For Alpine, the name of the game is stability. They aim to provide the staff with a car that is stable enough to work on during weekends with non-limiting choices. Hence, they are focusing on mid-season improvements rather than featuring a strong car from the get-go.

Preparations for the new season are almost over for each team, and Alpine is no different. They saw a major reshuffling in their staff owing to the huge cash influx. A revamped management roster oversaw a significant change in the team’s philosophy. Instead of focusing on the long-term future, they chose to “fight for positions that matter in the next two years.”

Heavy investments shall play a pivotal role in the stark change in philosophy. Aside from Otro Capital and Co. chiming in with their funding, several others preceded them in investing in Alpine. RedBird Capital Partners, Maximum Effort Investments, and Ryan Reynolds also pitched in with investments. Together, they bought a 24% stake in the team.

Can Alpine improve its 2023 performance?

2023 saw Alpine lie in the middle of the ground, basically in a league of their own. The team scored 120 points and secured two podiums throughout 2023. Each of their drivers secured one podium, allowing their team to finish sixth in the constructors’ championship. No team below them managed to secure a podium finish. Furthermore, Alpine was comfortable in their position, given the next-best team was 92 points behind them. Aston Martin was fifth in the rankings, 160 points ahead of Alpine.

According to Pierre Gasly, last season’s Alpine car had a small operating window. He felt the car had much better balance at the start of the season than towards the end. Gasly conceded the overall potential of the car was nowhere near the top teams, and hence, it wasn’t easy to operate. Alpine’s Technical Director, Matt Harman, also admitted to them being “aerodynamically outgunned” by their opposition. He added they ran out of time to develop the RE22 power unit despite having the necessary tech.

The team is focused on not repeating these mistakes and taking full advantage of their management team. However, a question mark remains over their performances for the 2024 season.

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• Alpine F1 team
• Pierre Gasly