Another one bites the dust at Alpine, as the Renault-owned team confirmed the departure of Davide Brivio.
Having switched from a successful management career in MotoGP, Brivio struggled in his new F1 role as racing director in 2021, resulting in a demotion to ’director of racing expansion projects’ away from the F1 tracks.
It is believed that Brivio approached Honda about a return to MotoGP next year, but was turned down. He now says: "I am grateful to Alpine for accommodating my wish to pursue other opportunities which may arise in the future - and I hope that they will."
It has been a brutal period for Alpine in Formula 1, with a dip in performance and reliability this year and Brivio part of an alarming exodus of top staff.
"There is no more Fernando Alonso, Laurent Rossi, Otmar Szafnauer, Pat Fry, or even Alan Permane, who had been with the team for more than 34 years in various different names," said Marco Canseco, correspondent for the Spanish newspaper Marca.
"Everyone in the paddock is wondering about the future of the historic team, which could partner with Andretti in the future or simply remain as an engine supplier from 2026."
Alonso’s 2023 replacement was Pierre Gasly, who joined from Alpha Tauri, and at a PR event in Madrid on Tuesday, the Frenchman admitted his first season with the team had been difficult.
"We’re coming out of a season that was hard for everyone," he is quoted as saying by L’Equipe. "There are clearly things to improve.
"There is potential which I can notice but it was not well exploited this year. We need to get back on a better footing for next season," Gasly added.
He admits he had hoped for better when he decided to leave the Red Bull family.
"It is true that F1 is entering a new dimension with all the races sold out, which is nothing like when I arrived in the sport in 2016," AFP news agency also quotes Gasly as saying.
"It would be easier to enjoy it if we were fighting at the front," he admitted. "So I really hope that we are able to turn the page on this season and come back stronger next year."