Alpine dropped a bombshell late on Tuesday, announcing that Team Principal Oliver Oakes had resigned with immediate effect, just nine months after taking the helm.
The statement, released by the Enstone-based squad, confirmed that Alpine had accepted Oakes’ resignation and that Executive Advisor Flavio Briatore would step in to cover his duties while continuing his existing role.
“BWT Alpine Formula One Team announces that Oliver Oakes has resigned from his role as Team Principal. The team has accepted his resignation with immediate effect,” the statement read.
“As of today, Flavio Briatore will continue as Executive Advisor and will also be covering the duties previously performed by Oliver Oakes.
“The team would like to thank Oliver for his efforts since he joined last summer and for his contribution in helping the team secure sixth place in the 2024 Constructors’ Championship.”
Oakes’ abrupt exit marks yet another chapter in Alpine’s turbulent recent history, a team plagued by management upheaval and strategic missteps over the past two years.
The announcement also comes amid swirling speculation about a driver lineup change, with rookie Jack Doohan reportedly set to be replaced by reserve driver Franco Colapinto at the upcoming Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.
This decision, rumored to have sparked friction between Oakes and Briatore, underscores the high-stakes drama unfolding at Alpine as they navigate a critical phase of the 2025 season.
Alpine’s management woes began in 2023, when Team Principal Otmar Szafnauer and Sporting Director Alan Permane were ousted during a chaotic Belgian Grand Prix weekend.
Renault Group CEO Luca de Meo appointed Bruno Famin as interim Team Principal, but Alpine’s midfield struggles persisted.
In June 2024, de Meo appointed Briatore as Executive Advisor, with Oakes, the 37-year-old Hitech Grand Prix founder, joining the team in July as team principal.
Their leadership delivered a sixth-place finish in the 2024 Constructors’ Championship, a bright spot in a stormy era. Yet, tensions simmered, particularly over the 2025 driver lineup of Pierre Gasly and rookie Jack Doohan, who replaced Esteban Ocon.
To date, Doohan’s season has been rocky, marked by a Suzuka practice crash and a first-lap collision in Miami. From the outset, speculation has lingered that reserve driver Franco Colapinto, signed from Williams, could replace Doohan.
Briatore, favoring Colapinto and the Argentinean driver’s lavish sponsorship deals, reportedly clashed with Oakes, who backed Doohan.
“Yeah, as it is today, Jack is our driver along with Pierre,” Oakes said in Miami, but his caveat—“today”—hinted at uncertainty.
Oakes’ resignation likely signals Briatore’s victory. But the flamboyant Italian’s expanded role raises stakes for Alpine, given his polarizing history, including the 2008 Crashgate scandal.
As Imola looms, Doohan’s potential exit and Colapinto’s debut mark a pivotal moment. Alpine’s latest upheaval, against a backdrop of two years of instability, leaves the team at a crossroads, with Briatore’s bold vision set to shape their turbulent path forward.
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