2022 - A Look Ahead

[Fortitude]

Alpine A522 set for ‘massive step of downforce’ in Singapore.
Alpine says its A522 contender will benefit from a new floor and a “massive step of downforce” at F1’s next race in Singapore.
15/09/2022 at 17:24
Michael Delaney

The update will be a timely development for the Enstone squad who heads into the final stretch of the season just 18 points ahead of McLaren as the two teams battle for fourth in the Constructors’ standings. Alpine sporting director Alan Permane insists his team’s low-key performance at the Temple of Speed was a one-off, insisting the French outfit will be back where it belongs in the pecking order in Singapore.

“For sure, 100% it's an outlier," commented Permane. "We've got a new floor coming for Singapore, which has got a massive step of downforce. We'll be back where we should be, and we're really looking forward to there and especially Suzuka with this car. It's going to be fun."

Permane admitted however that he was somewhat caught out by Alpine’s relative performance at Monza, a pace deficit that still requires a few answers. “We didn't expect to struggle,” he said. “I thought we would be okay. We ran absolutely fine on Friday and that's the tricky thing, that's what we don't understand.”

‘Alpine A522 set for massive step of downforce’;

https://f1i.com/news/454502-alpine-a...singapore.html


F1 podcast: Alpine’s 2023 options + what its test will achieve
18:32 Thu, 15 Sep 2022.
The Race

Who should Alpine sign to partner Esteban Ocon in the 2023 Formula 1 season? That’s a question we answer in the latest edition of The Race F1 Podcast. Ben Anderson and Scott Mitchell-Malm join Edd Straw to run through Alpine’s very lengthy shortlist, and the significance of the upcoming test using a 2021 car at the Hungaroring.

While Pierre Gasly is the team’s first choice for the drive – or rather, it’s third first choice after losing out on Fernando Alonso and Oscar Piastri – there are a plethora of other candidates. We also explain why Colton Herta has a part to play in deciding Alpine’s driver line-up, even though his anticipated test outing for the Enstone team doesn’t mean he is a contender for the seat.

‘Alpine’s 2023 options’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/f1-po...-will-achieve/


Alpine earmarks four drivers for private F1 test in Hungary
15/09/2022 at 10:53
Michael Delaney

Alpine has reportedly earmarked four drivers for an upcoming private Formula 1 test that is scheduled to take place at the Hungaroring.

It was reported earlier this week that Colton Herta was in line for the outing that will take place as part of F1's Testing of Previous Cars provision, meaning drivers will be entrusted with a 2021-spec Alpine A521 car. In addition to Herta, Alpine junior Jack Doohan will be in action in Hungary as well as Nyck de Vries and Antonio Giovinazzi.

Save for Herta, who is hopeful of racing with AlphaTauri next season if the American is granted a superlicence exemption by the FIA, all drivers taking part in the test are considered as candidates to fill the seat that will be vacated at Alpine by Fernando Alonso at the end of the season.

‘Alpine earmarks four drivers for private F1 test’;

https://f1i.com/news/454472-alpine-e...n-hungary.html


Four drivers set for Alpine shootout — but will any get the 2023 F1 seat?
Only three F1 seats remain realistically open for 2023. As Alpine prepares to host a four-driver test, Adam Cooper reveals that there's still a lot more going on behind the scenes
September 15th 2022
F1 Author: Adam Cooper

If not Gasly at Alpine, then who? Gasly is still at the top of Alpine’s list, and it’s been made clear that any past personal rivalry between the 2020 Italian GP winner and potential future team mate Esteban Ocon will have to be overcome, should be get the drive.

Alpine has made it clear that it is in no hurry to make a decision, and thus in effect it can wait for the Gasly situation to play out. The risk is that in waiting it might lose other potential candidates. One solution is already onboard. Alpine might have lost Piastri, but it still has Jack Doohan, whose stock has been rising recently. Alpine has made its open-minded position clear by inviting Nyck de Vries and Antonio Giovinazzi to join the young Australian and Herta at the Budapest test.

De Vries raised his stock with his brilliant drive to ninth at Monza with Williams, and some would argue that Alpine should have signed him there and then. It remains to be seen whether someone else does take him even before the Alpine test can happen. Schumacher cannot be completely ruled out at Alpine, while Daniel Ricciardo should be an obvious candidate, but his name is not being mentioned.

‘Four drivers set for Alpine shootout’;

https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/a...-2023-f1-seat#


Fernando Alonso wanted ‘longer’ deal at Alpine, but to them it ‘didn’t make sense’
Friday 16th September 2022 7:45 AM
Henry Valantine

Alpine CEO Laurent Rossi has said offering Fernando Alonso a longer contract “didn’t make sense” given the deal they had with Oscar Piastri. “We wanted him (Alonso) to continue with us as an endurance and/or Dakar Rally driver,” Rossi told Formula1.com’s Lawrence Barretto.

“We spoke about it at length last year. Why did we only offer him two years? We only had two years of option with Oscar. “Fernando had a desire to drive longer in F1, which we couldn’t match or we would have lost Oscar. It didn’t make sense for us.”

“More than likely, we couldn’t match other conditions that were offered too. So with Fernando, we would have loved to continue. He’s an amazing champion, he will remain a legend of our brand – but it didn’t work and that’s life.”

‘Longer Deal At Alpine Didn’t Make Sense’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/fernan...deal-no-sense/


‘One of the hires I’m most proud of’ – Alpine CEO on Szafnauer
14:59 Thu, 15 Sep 2022.
By Scott Mitchell-Malm
The Race

Alpine CEO Laurent Rossi rates team principal Otmar Szafnauer as “one of the hires I’m most proud of” and says he is doing an “excellent job” despite the losses of Fernando Alonso and Oscar Piastri. Szafnauer joined Alpine ahead of the 2022 Formula 1 season beginning, having left Aston Martin over the winter.

He has been the face of the team in the wake of Alonso agreeing a deal to join Aston Martin when Alpine thought the two-time world champion was set to sign a new contract, and Alpine’s long-term hope Piastri signing for McLaren instead. Alonso’s previous contractual dealings had been with Rossi, and Szafnauer said recently he only got involved from July’s French Grand Prix onwards.

“Otmar is, by the way, one of the hires I’m most proud of, because he’s delivering every day since he arrived,” said Rossi. “On topics like that [driver contracts] we stay close. So we knew all of the developments. We would agree sometimes on maximums, limits, boundaries. Because, of course, we need to be aligned, and I need to know. But there was no real disconnection between us.”

‘One of the hires I’m most proud of’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/one-o...-on-szafnauer/