Will the A524 be the takeoff single-seater for an Alpine team whose results have been marked by a regression in 2023 (6th in the constructors' championship after a 4th place in 2022) in the second peloton of the grid of the Formula 1. The first elements of an answer to this question will fall on March 2 at the opening of the season in Bahrain.
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The French manufacturer, entered for the fourth season in a row in the Formula 1 World Championship, presented this Wednesday its 2024 car entrusted to Esteban Ocon (12th in the drivers' championship with 58 points) and Pierre Gasly (11th in the drivers' championship with 62 points). ), his 100% Norman duo.
A car with classic colors, black and blue, which should transform into pink on several rounds of the championship, like last year, to honor the color of its title sponsor.
The Alpine A524.
BEN STANSALL / AFP
A breakaway single-seater with the failed 2023 car
Two years before a technical revolution in terms of chassis and engines which could offer a redistribution of cards on the board, Alpine built throughout last year a car that broke with its predecessor.
The chassis has been redesigned, the rear suspension system redesigned, the front suspension optimized, as well as the heat rejection system to be more efficient in each race.
“There are many major changes on the A524.
We have maximized the potential of the A523, so the A524 is completely new from front to back
,” confirms Matt Harman, Enstone’s technical director, aware that the 2024 single-seater had not completely met expectations. in the area of the chassis:
“We found that the A523 operated in a very narrow window, a weakness limiting us in its operation.
“She had very specific characteristics in where she excelled and where she didn’t.”
No quantified objectives for the team and the drivers
With this single-seater which aims to be innovative, Alpine finally wants to get out of the soft underbelly of the championship and aim higher to finally tickle the
top teams
a little .
Cautious after a failed championship, the team did not however give a quantified objective for the 2024 season.
“We must continue the progression of the team to take it to a higher stage.
We all know that progression is never linear.
We are focusing on ourselves and on progress in several different areas to be able to demonstrate greater competitiveness
,” simply explained Bruno Famin, the main team of a structure which will absolutely need stability to move forward.
The incessant reshuffles at the top of the organization chart in recent months have continued to interfere with the work of the teams at Enstone (chassis part in England) and Viry-Châtillon (engine part).
A real problem to resolve.
Esteban Ocon with Pierre Gasly and reserve driver, Jack Doohan.
ANDREW BOYERS / REUTERS
Alpine especially needs stability
This climate of instability did not benefit the development of Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly either, who emerged frustrated from their first year of collaboration.
“In 2023, they both scored a podium each, and these results are a great indicator of their talent, but also that of the team in running truly strong races.
This is an important season and we are counting on our duo to continue their momentum, both through their performances on track and by pushing the team with valuable contributions in the simulator to support the future development of the car
,” confided Bruno Famin, who is careful not to set, here again, precise objectives.
But not seeing the two French people appear at least in the Top 10 of the championship would sound like a new poor performance.
Close-up of the front of the A524.
BEN STANSALL / AFP