Is Renault meddling too much with Alpine’s F1 team? Oakes refutes that theory

Alpine crew principal Oliver Oakes has responded to feedback from Otmar Szafnauer hitting out on the Renault management, asserting his Components 1 crew is “very fortunate to have that help”.

Szafnauer was Alpine’s crew principal from February 2022 to July 2023. They subsequently parted methods as a result of American and Renault CEO Luca de Meo disagreeing on the crew’s timeline for fulfillment, as a number of key figures from the squad have been proven the door.

On the time, Alpine was following a 100-race plan launched by Laurent Rossi, then Alpine CEO, in October 2021 “to achieve a degree of competitiveness that locations us on the rostrum as many occasions as potential in 2024” earlier than reaching the entrance of the grid the following 12 months – which Szafnauer felt was too bold, reckoning success was potential on the long term.

Seventy-four grands prix have taken place for the reason that now-abandoned 100-race plan was launched, and Alpine achieved simply 4 top-eight finishes in 2024 – together with its sensational double podium on the Brazilian Grand Prix.

Asked in April 2024 whether Renault understood what it took to be successful in F1, Szafnauer retorted: “Not from what I noticed.

“I believe one of the best factor, and never simply Renault however for large automobile firms to do – and I’ve seen it rather a lot, even with automobile firms which have racing as a part of their DNA: they should not meddle. Go away it! It is a lot completely different from a automobile firm, it is best to simply go away it to the specialists.”

Otmar Szafnauer, Crew Principal, Alpine F1 Crew

Picture by: James Sutton / Motorsport Photographs

Oakes, who took up the crew principal mantle after interim boss Bruno Famin departed in August 2024, acknowledged there have been ‘components of reality’ in Szafnauer’s opinion however nonetheless defended the Renault management’s strategy.

“What I’d say is that it’s not at all times one dimension matches all,” Oakes told Autosport in an exclusive interview.

“I believe it’s truthful to say that components of it are true – and he’s a great mate, he’s been right here earlier than – however I believe folks also needs to bear in mind who pays the payments and who helps the crew. And from my viewpoint, we’re very fortunate to have that help.

“It’s simple to at all times level the finger at anyone who’s ‘meddling’, however typically you must ask your self, nicely, why have they got to get entangled? Is it as a result of we’re not dealing with the stuff? Is it as a result of we actually have taken our eye off the ball? You will get pissed off at first, however then you definately step again and also you say, ‘Truly, we most likely ought to have accomplished that higher, however we didn’t need to hear that.’

“I don’t assume there’s any want to cover issues. I don’t assume there’s any have to preserve them at arm’s size. I believe on the finish of the day we now have to work collectively. We now have to construct that belief. F1 is a fancy enterprise, as is the automotive world, and you’ll’t get it proper on a regular basis. I believe clearly what’s occurred earlier than – everybody has their views, their opinions.

“From my facet, possibly issues are a bit completely different now. Perhaps Luca has extra direct contact with me and Flavio [Briatore, Alpine’s executive advisor since May 2024]. Perhaps the crew has needed to hit a little bit of all-time low to reset. I don’t know. On the finish of the day none of that’s stopping you from making a great race automobile.”

Pierre Gasly, Alpine A524

Picture by: Simon Galloway / Motorsport Photographs

Oakes is now tackling his first full season on the helm of the Alpine squad and can be forgiven for any sense of trepidation after the outfit modified crew principals in every of the final 4 years.

“All people says to me, do you’re feeling it like a weight in your shoulders or a strain? And I actually see it in another way,” the Briton insisted. “There’s no grasp plan. There’s no stuff that’s been mentioned earlier than, ‘100 races’ and all that. We simply need to get higher. We now have to be a well-run crew.

“And I believe we simply need to give attention to ourselves. And even with all the noise about the power unit and all of the speak about promoting and all that form of garbage, I believe folks have already seen that we’re simply not likely going to be bothered by that anymore. We’re simply going to maintain our heads down.”