Alpine F1 has vehemently denied a report on Wednesday suggesting the team is on the market and could be sold by parent company Renault.
The Enstone squad’s strong response comes amidst mounting pressure following a disastrous start to its 2024 F1 campaign.
Motorsport.com ignited the firestorm with a report claiming Renault might consider offers for the Enstone-based team, with one key condition: any potential buyer would need to continue using Renault engines until 2029.
However, Alpine swiftly extinguished those speculations.
“The rumours and stories about the team being for sale are false. The team is categorically not for sale,” read a statement from the French outfit provided to several media outlets.
The public denial comes against the backdrop of a season gone wrong so far for Alpine. The team currently sits at the bottom of F1’s Constructors’ standings, having failed to score a single point in the first four races.
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Last weekend in Japan, despite implementing several updates on its A524 contender, both Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly were consigned once again to the lower tier of the field, in both qualifying and on race day.
Adding to the team's woes is a period of significant personnel turnover over the past year. Key figures like CEO Laurent Rossi, team principal Otmar Szafnauer, sporting director Alan Permane, and technical director Pat Fry all departed, creating an air of instability.
Alpine team boss Bruno Famin on the grid in Melbourne with reserve drive Jack Doohan.
Further upheaval occurred after the disastrous Bahrain Grand Prix, with technical director Matt Harman and head of aerodynamics Dirk de Beer exiting the team, leading to a reorganization of the design department.
Alpine's new team principal, Bruno Famin, has acknowledged the beleaguered outfit’s unacceptable performance for a works F1 outfit.
With the denial of a potential sale, Alpine faces a crucial juncture. They must turn things around quickly or risk further turmoil within the organization.
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