Alpine F1 team boss Oakes resigns with immediate effect

Alpine Formula 1 team principal Oliver Oakes has resigned with immediate effect, the squad has announced.

Oakes was brought to the Anglo-French outfit in July last year to replace Bruno Famin and then went on to form a tandem with executive advisor Flavio Briatore.

But six rounds into the 2025 season Oakes has now resigned, according to the team, with Briatore taking over his duties as an interim.

“BWT Alpine Formula One Team announces that Oliver Oakes has resigned from his role as Team Principal,” the team said.

“The team has accepted his resignation with immediate effect. As of today, Flavio Briatore will continue as Executive Advisor 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. The team will not be making any further comment.”

In Oakes’ time at Alpine, the Enstone-based squad made steady progress with its F1 cars after starting 2024 on the back foot, although it has struggled for results this season and is currently ninth in the constructors’ standings.

As part of a raft of changes over the past 12 months, Luca de Meo, boss of parent company Renault, abandoned Alpine’s in-house 2026 power unit project at Viry-Chatillon to become a Mercedes customer instead.

Oakes arrived at Alpine having previously tried to enter F1 with his Hitech junior formula outfit, which runs in F2, F3 and F1 Academy on the F1 support bill.

The news of the 37-year-old’s departure came out of the blue, although there were lingering questions over how just long he and former Renault F1 boss Briatore would be aligned as they ran the team.

Alpine is also understood to be close to replacing rookie Jack Doohan with reserve driver Franco Colapinto from next week’s Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at Imola to partner Pierre Gasly.