Alpine will still be focused on 2023, with improvements in Hungary and Belgium

Alpine will remember this Grand Prix at Silverstone for a long time. Arriving with a decent points lead over McLaren, they could have never imagined losing their advantage to them at the end of the Grand Prix. And yet, McLaren finished 2nd and 4th, earning 30 points in just one weekend. Alpine, on the other hand, experienced a double retirement. The aftermath is harsh.

Interrogated after the weekend at Silverstone, Otmar Szafnauer unveiled part of Alpine’s plan, both regarding the developments and the direction taken by the team.

Evolution is coming

Alpine desperately needs these developments, and it is necessary for the French team that they work. Otmar Szafnauer seems quite confident for the two Grand Prix before the summer break.

« There is an improvement in Hungary, but it is not very significant. Then, there is one in Spa, where a new floor is planned. If we put all this together, I think we should do well,” he said. However, the Team Principal of Alpine appears to be quite optimistic. We will have to wait and see these developments on the track to confirm his statements or not.

Otmar Szafnauer discusses the role of development

This season, the development of the cars is truly the key to success. Apart from Red Bull who is ahead of everyone, many teams are very close in terms of performance and a simple improvement bringing a few tenths can make a big difference, given how close the gaps are between second and 18th place.

« I believe that what is happening is that with these cars, the margin for improvements is narrowed – we are closer to each other. And then, when you bring something worth one or two tenths, it makes a big difference in the position you occupy in the order » explained Otmar Szafnauer.

« The faster you can manufacture these parts, the further you can go. If you have a one or two week lead over your competitors in manufacturing the floors, for example eight weeks instead of ten, you can extend the deadline by a few weeks. You can therefore carry out a few additional iterations, he then explained. There is a real development war.

Moreover, the Team Principal of Alpine is more concerned about the development of the race car to gain time, rather than the budget cap. “« From a budget cap perspective, we have some leeway,” he said.

What direction for Alpine?

The real question within the French team is the following: should we focus on development in 2023 or dedicate ourselves to 2024? Otmar Szafnauer answers this question.

« Today, most of our efforts are still focused on the 2023 car, and not on the 2024 one. Coming out of the break, we can see when to start making compromises », he said.

The current decision is to focus on 2023 for now and wait to develop the 2024 car. It’s a risky choice considering other teams are already turning their attention to next year’s car. If Alpine doesn’t improve in the upcoming races, there will be a real risk and a need to shift focus to 2024.