Gasly backs ‘positive changes’ at Alpine as he explains what ‘extremely motivated’ new Team Principal Oakes can bring

Pierre Gasly is optimistic that the arrival of Alpine’s new Team Principal Oliver Oakes can help to “push the team forward”, with Oakes set for his first race weekend in the role at the Dutch Grand Prix.

There have been numerous changes across Alpine’s managerial and technical operations during recent months, and this continued at the Belgian Grand Prix just prior to the summer break when Bruno Famin announced his departure as Team Principal, a position he had held since the beginning of the season following an interim period in charge in 2023.

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Shortly afterwards, it was confirmed that Oakes – a former racing driver who has since gone on to pursue a career in management – would take over the role. At 36 years old, the Briton will become the second youngest Team Principal in F1 history.

Reflecting on the news ahead of this weekend’s Dutch Grand Prix, Gasly spoke positively about what Oakes can bring to the squad, with the Frenchman suggesting that the new boss’s experience behind the wheel could prove especially beneficial.

“We chatted over the summer,” Gasly commented. “I’ve known Oli from the past few years working in the lower formulas, so he’s not new to me, but obviously we’ll catch up more over the weekend. I’m looking forward to working with him.

“He’s always been extremely motivated. I like the fact that he’s got some driving experience, so he will have a 360 overview and sort of understand everybody’s role in the team and how to make the best of it.

“The most important thing is the ambition. He wants to prove himself, but we’re here to work together as a team. I know his experience is valuable, I know he wants to push the team forward as we all want.”

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With Oakes’ arrival marking the latest development for Alpine, Gasly – who committed his future to the Enstone/Viry outfit in June by signing a multi-year contract extension – believes that there are many strong factors being put into place for the project.

“There is a reason I re-signed with Alpine a few months ago,” the 28-year-old said. “I know there are a lot of positive changes happening in the team, which are not all obvious to the public eye, but there are a lot of great ideas happening at Enstone, especially for next year and the year after.

“On my side of things, it doesn’t really change my work. I’ve still got to put the best I can at the minute with the car we have, which is not easy. We are not competitive enough. The team is pushing hard and I’m confident we’ll make a good step forward, especially next season.”

On the other side of the garage, Esteban Ocon has also welcomed the arrival of Oakes, having known the new team boss for some time.

“He’s someone that knows the drivers very well, he’s been a driver himself, and he has a lot of experience in motorsport,” Ocon explained. “He’s going to be here tomorrow [in Zandvoort], so I wish him the best of luck and obviously we are going to be working for the rest of the year together.”

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Ocon – who will depart the squad at the end of the season ahead of his next chapter with Haas in 2025 – admitted that joining Alpine in the middle of the campaign could be an additional challenge for Oakes.

Asked what the new Team Principal’s first job will be, Ocon responded: “He’s going to have, for sure, a lot of work ahead. Joining mid-season is not an easy task, but he is somebody of such a calibre that I’m sure he will find his way very quickly.”