Nielsen says Alpine nostalgia rush 'like going back to an old school’

Steve Nielsen, Alpine’s recently appointed managing director, says rejoining the Enstone outfit feels “like going back to an old school”, an experience that’s equal parts familiar and eye-opening.

Nielsen, an F1 veteran operator, spent several years at Enstone during its Benetton and Renault eras, before moving on and becoming Formula 1’s Sporting Director and later taking up the same position with the FIA.

After nearly a decade away from the inner workings of a team, Nielsen is back in the trenches – and feeling both nostalgic and energized.

“It’s like going back to an old school. Have you ever done that? You go back to an old school and bits of it are really familiar but a bit smaller than you remember. Bits of it are new,” he told reporters in Singapore.

“It’s been great to go back. They’ve made me feel very welcome. Some old familiar faces, lots of new faces, which is also good.”

Getting back up to speed

The 61-year-old admitted the transition has been a learning curve after years in regulatory and executive roles rather than the day-to-day rhythm of team operations.

“Whilst I’ve been in the sport for this time I haven’t been at a team for eight years,” he said. “So there’s a big part of me getting up to speed and picking up on what’s changed inside a racing team in the last eight years – and there’s an awful lot.”

Among those changes, Nielsen pointed to one of the sport’s defining modern developments – the budget cap.

“Things like budget cap didn’t exist the last time I was part of a team. Now it does,” he explained.

“And it’s really bizarre for me because I was on the other side of that at F1 in the early discussions, and then that was taken forward, implemented, and enforced by the FIA.

“So to now be on the receiving end of it is a whole new experience for me. A lot to learn on my side as well.”

That perspective gives Nielsen a rare vantage point – having seen the sport’s biggest regulatory change from both the inside and the outside. His challenge now is to adapt Alpine’s internal processes to thrive within those constraints.

Clear Roles and a Winning Horizon

With Briatore calling the shots from the top, Nielsen's mandate is laser-focused on Enstone's day-to-day operations.

“Flavio is the leader. I run Enstone and everything that comes with that,” he explained. “That’s how we go forward, and we’re clear internally about what those responsibilities are and how that’s carved up. That’s how we’re doing it.”

Despite Alpine's recent on-track woes, Nielsen's optimism crackles like a fresh spark plug.

“It’s a great place. There’s some fine talent there,” he added.

“What we put on the track at the moment doesn’t reflect the skills we have there and the facilities we have there, and it’s our job to turn that around.”

As Nielsen ramps up, Alpine fans are buckling up for what could be a thrilling revival – old school charm meets modern F1 grit, all aimed at podium glory.

Read also: Alpine ‘a few races away’ from 2026 driver decision - Nielsen

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