Newly installed Alpine team principal Bruno Famin has explained that Lewis Hamilton’s move to Scuderia Ferrari from Mercedes is not a concern for them.
The French squad’s drivers, Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon, have not signed contracts with the team beyond the 2024 season, leaving them available for other teams, including Mercedes.
Alpine are off the back of a turbulent 2023 season. Otmar Szafnauer, Alan Permane and Pat Fry departed the team. Famin was announced permanently in the team principal at the Enstone launch on Wednesday, as he looks to help the team improve on 6th in the last campaign.
Ocon has a great relationship with Mercedes and Toto Wolff, which makes him a possible candidate as Hamilton’s replacement from 2025, when the 7-time World Champion goes to Ferrari.
However, Famin said that such move has not changed the way they communicate with their drivers about the future.
“We have not waited for Hamilton going to Ferrari to talk to our drivers,” he said. “We are talking permanently to our drivers.
“We regularly talk to them, we talked before Hamilton and after.
“To be honest, we all of course have a look on the drivers’ market. We have also our academy, and it is our duty to see what is going on, to know what is going.
“We’re on that, but there is no decision at all yet. And our priority is much more focused on developing the car and the team, and we are confident with our drivers.”
When asked if there was urgency to sign their drivers given the current state of the market, Famin said that “there is no duplicity. And that’s why it’s important to talk regularly to each other, to put everything on the table.”
“Again, I think we’re happy with them. Let’s wait for the first race and the performance of the car, but I understand they’re happy with the team. Let’s talk a bit later about [re-signing].”
