Abiteboul: Alpine missing a star driver 'acting like a team boss'

Former Renault F1 executive Cyril Abiteboul believes that Alpine is missing a big-name star driver in its line-up capable of inspiring its crews and acting like a "team boss".

With team principal Otmar Szafnauer and sporting boss Alan Permane forced to depart Alpine after last weekend's Belgian Grand Prix, the Enstone squad has been left without a seasoned management team to guide its operations.

Abiteboul was critical of the decisions that have led to the team's implosion, but the WRC Hyundai boss also sees a shortfall in terms of Alpine's driver line-up relative to its ambitions.

While Red Bull and Mercedes have superstars Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton as their emblematic representatives, Abiteboul suggested that Alpine chargers Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly lack the aura of star quality that drives and galvanizes a team.

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"Two names is one too many," he said, referring to the pair in an interview with French radio broadcaster France Info.

"When you close your eyes and think of Mercedes, you think of Lewis Hamilton - even though Nico Rosberg did some extraordinary things.

"When you think of Red Bull, you think of the first cycle around Sebastian Vettel. Then the second cycle around Max Verstappen.

"You need a driver who is also a bit of a team boss, and this power of personification is fundamental. At the moment, the grid is very competitive with all cars finishing on the same lap.

"In a while, there will be a near-level playing field. What will make the difference is ambition and determination."

Abiteboul, who was instrumental in convincing Daniel Ricciardo to join Renault in 2019, believes that events of late risk undermining Alpine's "team spirit and culture".

"Every element that is changed potentially puts the team spirit and culture at risk. It is these two aspects in particular that are lacking at Alpine," he added.

"The investments have been made, the resources, the group's ambitions, the corporate strategy with the Alpine brand - it's all there. When a team has everything, it needs something that transcends it, someone to drive it.

"The strength of an individual who can pull 1,000 people together is very unifying."

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