The Alpine F1 Team is a modern addition to the Formula One grid, debuting at the beginning of the 2021 season. It was previously known as the Renault F1 Team and was owned by the Renault car manufacturer. However, the team was rebranded for the 2021 season to promote Alpine, Renault’s sports car brand.
Current Alpine Drivers
10
Pierre
Gasly
2017 Malaysian Grand Prix F1 Debut
Alpine Current/Last Team
Esteban
Ocon
2016 Belgian Grand Prix F1 Debut
Alpine Current/Last Team
Full Team Name: BWT Alpine F1 Team
Base: Enstone, United Kingdom
Team Chief: Bruno Famin
Technical Chief: Matt Harman
First Team Entry: 2021
World Championships: 0
Despite the name change in 2021, the team remains a Renault works team, racing out of Enstone in Oxfordshire, England. The team’s managerial and chassis operations are based there, while the engine side is located in Viry-Châtillon, a Parisian suburb in France.
Alpine’s time in F1 can be traced back to 1968 when they built the Alpine A350 Grand Prix car powered by a Gordini V8 engine. However, after initial testing with Mauro Bianchi at Zandvoort, the project was abandoned due to the engine’s underwhelming performance. Despite this setback, the company persevered and, in 1975, produced the Alpine A500 prototype, which tested a 1.5 L V6 turbo engine from the Renault factory team. This engine would eventually debut in 1977.
The team can trace its DNA and history back to 1981, when it first joined Formula 1 as Toleman, based in Witney, England. In 1986, after being acquired by the Benetton Group, it was rebranded as Benetton and before the 1992 season, the team moved operations to its current base in Enstone. During its time as Benetton, the team clinched the 1995 Constructors’ Championship, alongside Michael Schumacher securing his first two Drivers’ Championships in 1994 and 1995.
By the 2000 season, Renault had acquired the team and renamed it the Renault F1 Team by the 2002 season. Under the Renault name, the team won the 2005 and 2006 Constructors’ Championships, with Fernando Alonso winning the Drivers’ Championships in both years. In 2011, Lotus Cars became a title sponsor, and the team was briefly known as Lotus Renault GP, although it continued to compete as Renault for that season. By 2012, Genii Capital had taken a majority stake, and the team raced as the Lotus F1 Team from 2012 to 2015.
Coming around full circle again, Renault reacquired the team at the end of 2015, renaming it Renault Sport Formula One Team. The team competed as Renault from 2016 until the end of the 2020 season when it became Alpine for 2021.
By the mid-point of the 2023 season, a consortium of investors featuring actor Ryan Reynolds finalised a deal to acquire a 24% stake in the Alpine team for €200 million. Later that year, the group expanded to include NFL players Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce, golfer Rory McIlroy, former heavyweight boxing champion Anthony Joshua, and soccer players Trent Alexander-Arnold and Juan Mata. All of which appeared at Grans Prix weekends in support.
