Alpine Unveils A524 2024 Formula 1 Car in Bid to Revive Stuttering Works Programme
Alpine has launched its highly anticipated A524 2024 Formula 1 car, aiming to breathe new life into Renault’s struggling works programme. The team’s previous challenger, the A523, faced numerous challenges due to car limitations and an engine deficit, resulting in inconsistent performance against the top teams in the sport. As a result, Alpine underwent significant management changes, with the appointment of Bruno Famin as the permanent team principal. Famin, who previously held the role on an interim basis, is now tasked with guiding Alpine towards a more successful future.
The A524 was unveiled at Alpine’s Enstone base, alongside the team’s Hypercar challenger for the World Endurance Championship. In a first for the 2024 launch season, Alpine showcased the actual car that will undergo a shakedown in Bahrain on February 20. Sporting a dark livery with a black base, the A524 features mainly blue accents, which will be replaced by pink at eight races to highlight the team’s title sponsor, BWT.
Deviating from the team’s recent blue and pink designs, Alpine has opted for a more minimalist approach with bare carbon, aimed at reducing weight. While the unveiled car is said to be the real deal, it remains to be seen if any further developments will occur before testing begins. Alpine describes the A524 as “completely revised” with an “aggressive design philosophy,” aimed at maximizing performance within the current ruleset. However, the car’s aerodynamics appear similar to its predecessor, the A523.
Technical director Matt Harman has outlined several key differences in the A524, including a lighter chassis, new rear suspension, optimized front suspension, a new heat rejection system, and improved brake thermal management. The most significant visible change is the redesigned rear suspension, which features a relocated pushrod. This modification aims to enhance entry rotation and through-corner balance, addressing two major weaknesses of the A523.
Despite these improvements, Alpine’s engine performance remains a concern. The team believes it was approximately 15bhp behind the best engines last year, but due to the current engine freeze in Formula 1, no changes can be made to address this deficit. Nonetheless, Alpine hopes that slight tweaks to car/engine compromises, along with a lighter chassis and a more aggressive approach to engine use, will help mitigate the performance gap.
Looking ahead, Alpine is placing great emphasis on the 2026 engine project at Viry, aiming to eliminate any hybrid era deficit. Consequently, the team aims to ensure that the A524 performs exceptionally well to counter any inherent performance limitations. The success of the A524 will be crucial in determining Alpine’s trajectory in the highly competitive world of Formula 1.
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