Alpine advisor Flavio Briatore honestly says he has no idea yet about the timeline for his team’s next Grand Prix victory. The French racing stable saw Esteban Ocon drive to victory for the first time in 2021, but does not yet know when the next Alpine driver will stand on the top step of the podium again. According to Briatore, it might even take a while: ‘We are just working hard and seeing what happens’.
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Momentum seems to be on Alpine’s side. Pierre Gasly has already achieved three points finishes in three Grands Prix, while Franco Colapinto also finished in the top ten in China. Alpine is currently level with Red Bull in the constructors’ championship, a stark contrast to last year’s last place. Yet Flavio Briatore does not yet dare to set a deadline for his team’s long-awaited next Grand Prix victory.
“That is a difficult question,” the advisor answers honestly when asked about a timeline in Suzuka. “I don’t know. We try to get better every year. Currently, we have everything in house to become competitive. We are also very happy with the power unit (Alpine is a Mercedes customer team, ed.) and the rest of the team. We have implemented many changes, but we still need to build up the home base further.”
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‘Takes a few years’
According to Briatore, it could still take a few years before Alpine truly competes with the top teams. “It takes a few years, just like with everyone else,” he explains. “We want to win, and we will see. We are just working hard and seeing what happens. But we are very committed, Renault is committed and the team is committed. So we will see. We are doing our best, just like everyone else.”
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