MAY 7, 2025

Oakes resigns as Alpine F1 Team Principal

Alpine has announced the immediate resignation of team principal Oliver Oakes, just six races into the 2025 Formula 1 season. Executive advisor Flavio Briatore will assume Oakes’ duties on an interim basis.

The departure of the 37-year-old comes after a turbulent start to the year, with Alpine currently sitting ninth in the constructors’ standings. Oakes joined the team in July 2024, replacing Bruno Famin and forming a dual leadership structure with Briatore.

In a statement issued Tuesday, Alpine said:

“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.”

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.”

Oakes, a former karting world champion, entered F1 via junior outfit Hitech GP, which he founded and currently operates in F2, F3, and the F1 Academy. His brief tenure at Alpine was part of a wider overhaul of the Enstone-based squad, led by Renault CEO Luca de Meo, who recently ended Alpine’s in-house engine program in favor of customer Mercedes power from 2026.

Reports suggest Alpine may also be preparing to replace rookie Jack Doohan with reserve driver Franco Colapinto at the upcoming Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, as part of broader efforts to reverse the team’s decline.

Briatore now steps into a more active leadership role as Alpine attempts to stabilize both its technical and managerial direction.