Alpine F1 boss Ollie Oakes resigns

The Alpine F1 team has parted ways with team boss Oiver Oakes with immediate effect. It seems that Ollie tendered his resignation and the team accepted it.

Lots of conjecture, naturally, about whether he resigned or was he pushed. For me, from the outside looking in and with rumors of a pending driver swap replacing Jack Doohan with Franco Colapinto, I tend to think that Ollie wasn’t going to be part of the move. That’s just my hunch but I suspect, as with anything like this, there are many elements at play that would eventually see the back of Ollie Oakes.

That’s a shame because I think Ollie was doing a good job and I believe another team should pick him up quickly. The team has had nothing but turmoil for the last few seasons with Bruno Famin being tossed, Otmar Szafnauer being tossed and now Ollie. It is becoming a very challenging situation over at Alpine.

Ollie’s role will be handled by Flavio Briatore in the mean time. For those new to F1 and outraged by Red Bull’s Helmut Marko, remember when I said:

I think Alpine’s issues are very complex. There is an undertow in the waters of Alpine and I have to think Ollie had enough of the changes at Alpine. I feel bad for the men and women who work tirelessly each week to produce a race-winning car.

With all that said, we do know that Flavio has had success in F1 in the past and one wonders if he can chisel a race-winning team out of the husk of what has been left for him at Alpine. Ollie, on the surface, is a very disappointing move but is he collateral damage from a much larger initiative led by Briatore? Time will tell.

Team Statement:

The team has accepted his resignation with immediate effect.

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.

The team will not be making any further comment.