Oliver Oakes has resigned as principal of Renault-owned Alpine with immediate effect and former boss Flavio Briatore is taking over his duties, the British-based Formula One team said on Tuesday.
Oakes was appointed principal in July 2024, at the time the team’s fifth boss in four turbulent and largely underwhelming seasons.
His departure comes amid mounting speculation that Alpine are about to replace Australian driver Jack Doohan with Argentina’s Franco Colapinto for next week’s Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at Imola.
“BWT Alpine Formula One team announces that Oliver Oakes has resigned from his role as team principal. The team has accepted his resignation with immediate effect,” Alpine said in a statement.
“As of today, Flavio Briatore will continue as executive adviser and will also be covering the duties previously performed by Oliver Oakes.
“The team would like to thank Oliver for his efforts since he joined last summer and for his contribution in helping the team secure sixth place in the 2024 Constructors’ Championship.”
Alpine are ninth in the 10-team standings after six races, with 22-year-old rookie Doohan, son of motorcycle great Mick, yet to score a point.
Italian Briatore, 75, was boss of the team when they raced as Benetton and Renault and won championships with Michael Schumacher in 1994 and 1995 and Fernando Alonso in 2005 and 2006.
He was also instrumental in signing Colapinto from Williams as reserve last January.
“Clearly, Franco is among the best young talents in motorsport right now,” the Italian said at the time.
Briatore remains a controversial figure in Formula One due to his involvement in one of the biggest scandals in the sport’s history.
He received a lifetime ban when the “Crashgate” scandal exploded in 2009, in which Renault driver Nelson Piquet Jr deliberately crashed during the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix to give a sporting advantage to his teammate, Fernando Alonso.
Briatore’s ban was overturned by a French court in 2010 and he returned in June last year as executive adviser to Renault chief executive Luca de Meo.
Reuters
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