After McLaren, Haas, Sauber and Williams, Alpine is the fifth team to unveil the new season. The French team has in fact revealed not only the colors with which it will take to the track during the 2024 championship, but also the new single-seater, the A524, which features several technical innovations compared to last year.
Alpine started from a 2023 lacking in satisfaction to try to make a change to the new season, fully understanding what didn't work in the past. The A523 had in fact started the season well, but as the events went by it was unable to keep up with the pace of development of its rivals, also due to some structural limitations for which a solution was only found this year.
Aware that the situation in the rankings would not change, the second half of 2023 was dedicated to understanding how to make the steps forward initially hoped for, both on a technical and personnel level. During the year, the management and trackside structure was reorganized, while the team took advantage of the free practice sessions to carry out some tests aimed specifically at 2024, testing specific parts and settings to then exploit in the design of the A524.
Alpine A524
Photo by: Alpine
“It is clear that the 2023 season has been turbulent for the team. But above all it led to a certain awareness of the need to improve the overall team dynamic. In the second half of the year we made changes, in particular to the way the team operates on the track, which led to immediate and tangible success”, explained Bruno Famin on the sidelines of the presentation of the A524, illustrating the objectives in view of the new championship.
“The goal is now to extend this dynamic to the entire Alpine team and start 2024 on the right foot to ensure high standards and maintain operational excellence. We have the necessary resources and have started a new phase of modernization of some areas of our structures.” Behind the scenes, in fact, Alpine is investing to update its equipment in the factory and a new simulator will also arrive soon which will help the development of the 2025 single-seater and the new generation one for the next regulatory cycle.
“We need to unleash the creativity of the many talents we have in our teams at both our Enstone and Viry locations. We must aim to acquire speed and precision in execution to improve our efficiency and overall performance. We have spent a lot of time aligning team management and improving all processes,” added Famin, who remained at the helm of the team in the role of Team Principal also for 2024.
The development of the new French single-seater actually started earlier than usual, so much so that the drivers were able to test the first models on the simulator as early as last September. This element, as well as the fact of having understood what the weak points were that had slowed down the car last season, represent an injection of confidence in view of the new championship. “We pushed really hard on development. This is a completely new car, with a bold approach.”
Alpine A524
Photo by: Alpine
From a technical point of view, the car has undergone important changes, starting from the chassis and the cooling system, which have been revised in terms of volumes to improve the overall efficiency of the car, leaving more room for the imagination of the aerodynamicists. In fact, a substantial update to the floor was already planned for 2023, but considering the limitations of the chassis on the A523 it was then decided to integrate it directly into the new project, which will thus feature several new features.
The battery pack has been moved further back to improve weight distribution, while the mass of the transmission has been reduced to have a lighter unit. The suspension system remains unchanged, push rods on both axles, but the rear one has a new design. New software for managing the hybrid part of the Power Unit will also debut in 2024, ensuring better use of the energy available.
However, the pair of drivers remains unchanged, with Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly confirmed to defend the colors of the transalpine team. Last year both Ocon and Gasly achieved a podium each in the Sunday races in Monaco and Holland respectively, to which must also be added the third place obtained by the Rouen native in the Belgian Sprint in the rain.
Alpine A524
Photo by: Alpine
“Our drivers are among the best on the grid and we expect them to continue to collaborate with the team to improve the overall dynamics. Esteban and Pierre play a vital role both on and off the track and we look forward to working hard together with them,” explained Famin.
“In 2023, they both achieved a podium each and these results are a great indicator of their talent, and also that of the team, to produce very strong races. This is an important season, in which we expect both drivers to continue where they left off, delivering results on the track and pushing the team with valuable contributions to the simulator to help the future development of the car.”
Although it clearly does not represent the main focus at the moment, given that the focus is on extracting the maximum from the A524 in the first part of the season, over the course of the year there will also be a need to untangle the future of the two drivers, both of whom are out of contract. at the end of the championship.
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Watch: F1 Videos | Alpine presentation: the A524
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