Janice R. Andrews
Rob White, Alpine’s seasoned operations director, has left the company in a major development that underscores the continuous turmoil inside the group. The failing French Formula 1 team has seen a number of managerial changes, the most recent of which being this one.
After 20 years of service to Renault, the parent company of Alpine, Rob White, 58, was told he was being let go by Team Principal Bruno Famin. On Wednesday, the employees at the Enstone mill, where White has served as the Director of Operations since 2016, were informed of the decision.
at 2004, White started working for Renault as the Deputy Managing Director of Engines at their Formula One (F1) plant at Viry-Chatillon, Paris. Prior to that, he was in charge of F1 engine operations at Cosworth, a racing engine manufacturer located in the UK. White, who is well-known for his engineering skills, led the engine projects that won championships in 2005 and 2006, earning him a great deal of respect in the Formula One world.
“We can confirm Rob White’s departure as part of the team’s wider operational restructure,” an Alpine spokeswoman said, expressing thanks for White’s services. Rob’s extensive experience at Enstone and Viry-Chatillon, where he oversaw the championship-winning engine project in 2005 and 2006, is appreciated by the team. We hope he succeeds in all of his future undertakings.
This move is the most recent in a string of well-known resignations that have occurred since Renault CEO Luca de Meo installed Bruno Famin in July of last year. Otmar Szafnauer, the team principal, and Alan Permane, the longtime sporting director, were the first to quit during the Belgian Grand Prix weekend of the previous year.
After the 2024 season got off to a dismal start, the exodus continued. Renowned design engineer Bob Bell left the company in March and joined Aston Martin, shortly after the resignations of Technical Director Matt Harman and Head of Aerodynamics Dirk de Beer. The team strengthened its ranks in May by recruiting veteran Ferrari and McLaren engineer David Sanchez as Executive Technical Director to oversee their design facilities, but the initial exits were handled through an internal reorganization.
The management change occurs as Alpine is having difficulties on the racetrack. After changing its name from Renault in 2021, the team shown potential by placing fifth in the constructors’ championship that year and rising to fourth the next year. Unfortunately, due to poor management, reserve driver Oscar Piastri and star driver Fernando Alonso left to join Aston Martin and McLaren, respectively.
In 2023, Alpine’s performance plummeted, and the team finished sixth in the constructors’ championship. The team was mired in ninth position after the first eight races in 2024, demonstrating that the declining trend had persisted. Despite recent modifications, such as a new floor, the vehicle has remained the second slowest in qualifying pace on average, falling short of expected performance gains.
After the first lap collision between Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly of Alpine, things got worse during the Monaco Grand Prix. Despite team orders to maintain position, Ocon tried to pass Gasly at Portier and was penalized five places for the following race in Canada. After the event, Famin made vague references to “consequences” but gave no details.
There have been rumors of more squad changes due to the turbulent atmosphere. Esteban Ocon is expected to depart at the end of the season; his contract with Alpine has been questioned. In an attempt to regain their competitive advantage in Formula 1, Alpine appears to be going through a crucial restructuring phase based on their constant reorganizations and performance problems.
Alpine is going through a lot right now, and Rob White’s firing highlights the major change the club is going through. With fresh leadership and an emphasis on modernizing their organizational framework, Alpine hopes to reverse their current situation and reclaim their position as a dominant force in Formula 1.
The motorsport world will be keenly observing how these adjustments affect Alpine’s performance in the next races and whether Bruno Famin and his team’s new tactics prove successful.
