“Alpine will become the French Ferrari”: Renault CEO heaps high expectations on the Enstone-based F1 team

Alpine have been making headlines in recent months due to a series of leadership changes. Amidst these changes, CEO Luca de Meo has expressed high expectations for the future. He envisions his F1 team becoming the "French Ferrari," the iconic Italian racing team that enjoys immense support and passion from fans worldwide.

The 2022 season started with promise for the currently sixth-placed Alpine under the new F1 regulations. However, the team faced setbacks, particularly with the introduction of the A523 car. Rivals like Aston Martin and McLaren significantly outperformed them, leaving the French side struggling to keep up with the top teams.

At the heart of the turmoil was a disagreement within the team about the timeline to achieve success. Former team principal Otmar Szafnauer advocated sticking to the "100-race plan." Other senior figures in the team, meanwhile, pushed for a more accelerated approach to reach consistent race victories. The success of other customer teams also highlighted the need to reevaluate their strategies.

Luca de Meo, CEO of the Renault Group, sees great potential in the Enstone-based outfit. He aims to transform it into a team with a passionate fanbase akin to Ferrari's. Speaking to GPblogs, he said:

“Alpine Formula 1 team will become the French Ferrari. In France, there still isn’t enough passion for the world of motorsport."

De Meo believes that France lacks the same level of motorsport enthusiasm compared to Italy. This is mainly because there hasn't been a dominant team to rally behind.

De Meo's goal is to forge a strong emotional connection between fans and the Alpine brand, linking its historical significance with the team's colors and achievements.

“This is because the fans don’t have a team to support, as Italy has with Ferrari. We want to combine the history of our team with its colours so that fans can be more engaged,” he continued.

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De Meo equates Alpine aspirations with Fiat 500 experience

Luca de Meo has had a successful experience in the past with Fiat, where he launched the revamped Fiat 500. The Renault CEO aims to replicate that level of engagement and passion with his F1 team as well. The key, he believes, lies in building a rich history around the team's colors and creating a sense of commitment among supporters.

De Meo said:

"Our goal is to link Alpine's colours with feelings of passion, as we did with the Fiat 500 at the time. The idea is to tie history to these colours and thus create commitment."

While the Enstone-based outfit has shown promise over the years, breaking into the top teams' category has been a formidable challenge. To achieve their ambitious objectives in F1, the team must find much-needed stability and shift the negative rhetoric surrounding them in the media.

As Alpine works to regain its competitive edge, the F1 world eagerly awaits the team's progress. They will now look to implement De Meo's vision successfully and combine it with improved on-track performance. If successful, the French outfit can find themselves competing among the elite teams, garnering immense support from passionate fans across the globe.