Alpine had a disappointing start to the Formula 1 season. The performance of the car is poor, having worsened again after already falling far short of achieving the proposed goals last year.
After four rounds, neither Esteban Ocon nor Pierre Gasly have shown themselves capable of fighting for points. And for that reason, at the moment the French are last in the championship without any points, alongside Stake F1 Sauber and Williams – despite being a 100% factory team.
The goal for 2023 after finishing fourth in the Constructors’ World Championship the previous year was to be closer to Ferrari, Mercedes, and Red Bull. However, the course was the opposite and this led to a major restructuring of the team – including the departures of former team principal Otmar Szafnauer and the historic figures Alan Permane and Pat Fry.
However, this year there has been another drop in competitiveness and Alpine seems to have, at the moment, the worst car in the field – which, naturally, negatively influences its market value. And, according to the Motorsport.com website, new rumors about a possible sale are emerging.
Potential buyers for the purchase will not be lacking – starting with Andretti, who is desperately seeking a place in the field… – and Renault’s inclination to sell the Alpine F1 team may begin to emerge considering the results. However, even in the case of a sale, there is an essential condition to meet: the use of the power units, allegedly, until 2029. This clause would safeguard the jobs in Viry-Châttilon, where work is already underway on the new power unit compliant with the 2026 regulations.
But for now, the sale of Alpine is nothing more than a scenario of conjecture that the team itself has already made a point of formally denying in a statement: ‘The rumors and stories about the team being for sale are false. The team is not, categorically, for sale’.