New name - Alpine -, new colors - blue-white-red - and… new pattern.
The Renault group continues its radical turn in the world of Formula 1 with the departure of Cyril Abiteboul, formalized on Monday.
The 43-year-old engineer, who has spent his entire career or almost in the Losange (parenthesis at Catheram between 2012 and 2014), is leaving his post of director of Renault Sport Racing which he had held since 2014 and, consequently, that of team principal of the French Formula 1 team after a rather satisfactory 2020 season (3 podiums and a 5th place in the constructors' championship).
De Meo salutes his "remarkable" work
“I would like to warmly thank Cyril for his relentless involvement which notably led the Renault F1 Team from penultimate place in 2016 to the podiums last season.
His remarkable work in F1 since 2007 allows us to look to the future, with a strong team and the new Alpine F1 Team identity to conquer the podiums this year ”, greeted Luca de Meo.
The CEO of the Renault group has promoted Laurent Rossi, 45, to the post of CEO of the Alpine brand, a banner chosen by the French manufacturer to continue its activities in Formula 1 as in endurance (LMP1).
Until then, he was director of strategy and business development for Groupe Renault.
Budkowski approached to replace him
“I would like to thank the Renault Group for placing their trust in me during these many years, in particular for the relaunch and reconstruction of the team since 2016. The solid foundations of the racing team and the entities in France and England ( Enstone factory) built during these years, the strategic evolutions of sport towards a more economically sustainable model, and more recently the Alpine project which provides a renewed meaning and dynamic, suggest a very good trajectory ”, declared de his side Cyril Abiteboul.
Executive Director of Renault F1 Team since 2018, Marcin Budkowski could succeed him in the highly exposed position of team principal of the French team to which Abiteboul had adapted, especially in terms of communication.
And this, even if the tensions with Red Bull at the time when Renault was powering the Austrian team were more Netflix's business than those of its bosses.
The name of Davide Brivio, former team manager of the Suzuki team in MotoGP, is also whispered to strengthen the team.
Remember that the 2021 season will see the return of Fernando Alonso, replacing Daniel Ricciardo, who left for McLaren.
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