SM
Greece vs. England: 2 hrs 28 mins
Upcoming predictions and previews
Collect News Data

Alpine crisis could be Schumacher's last F1 chance

:Headline: Alpine crisis could be Schumacher's last F1 chance:
The current slump at Alpine could be Mick Schumacher's best and last chance to return to Formula 1.
Sports Mole

The current slump at Alpine could be Mick Schumacher's best and last chance to return to Formula 1.

The contracts of the struggling team's highly respected French duo Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly expire at the end of the year - and both are being linked with the exit door.

Enstone and Viry-based Alpine has badly faltered with its new 2024 car. According to Auto Motor und Sport, it is the only team in pitlane that has actually entered the new season with a car that is actually slower - by 1 tenth - than its 2023 predecessor.

Following the management and shareholding turmoil of the past couple of seasons, it has triggered rumours that Renault CEO Luca de Meo - who was trackside in Saudi Arabia recently - may decide to sell the team.

"There are enough interested parties," correspondent Tobias Gruner claims.

Another option for de Meo might be ousting boss Bruno Famin, who was only promoted from the 'interim' position as team principal to the full role mere weeks ago.

"In Formula 1, everything happens so quickly," Famin said. "You're actually always the interim team boss."

Renault's power unit is known to be the least powerful on the grid, but another major issue is the overweight car - reinforced by 10 kilograms ahead of the new season after initially failing the mandatory FIA crash tests.

"Other teams didn't pass at the first attempt either," Famin insists. "If you get straight through, it means you're not operating close enough to the limit."

Famin says the drivers are complaining most about a lack of traction, which he insists can be helped by adding more downforce.

"We have already laid the foundations on the mechanical side," he said. "Now it's about finding more downforce, which is at the top of our list.

"We already have a few good developments in the pipeline."

Whether the car can be improved in time to keep Ocon and Gasly on board for 2025, however, is another matter.

Famin said: "We are in no hurry on the driver question, but we would like to extend our current duo. They are our first choice."

The second choice, however, might be Mick Schumacher - the former Haas driver who is trying to revive his name as a good racing driver with Alpine's world endurance championship and Le Mans campaigns this year.

The man who fired Schumacher, former Haas boss Gunther Steiner, thinks 2025 might be the 24-year-old's last chance to resurrect his F1 career.

"If it doesn't work out next year, it will probably never work out again," Steiner told Bild newspaper.

"If he doesn't drive in Formula 1 next year, that will be three years without a cockpit. Sure, he was there for two years and is part of the new generation - but it would be extremely difficult if he was completely out of it for three years.

"He has to do well in the WEC this season, then it can be a stepping stone," Steiner added.

However, no new drivers were able to break onto the F1 grid this year.

"We will see how the driver market in Formula 1 develops," Steiner added. "It is not yet clear whether anyone will quit." body check tags ::

amp_article__539424 : Collect and Make Data not in DataBase  : 
last updated article - 2024-03-21 19:13:45:
html db last update - 2024-03-21 19:13:45 :

ex - 7200 : read : write cache and make html

Click here for more stories about Mick Schumacher

Click here for more stories about Renault

Share this article now:
EO
Read Next:
Alpine reaping 'consequences' of 'bad decisions'
>


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
AL
Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!
Read more about Mick Schumacher Bruno Famin Gunther Steiner Esteban Ocon Pierre Gasly Luca de Meo Formula 1
Follow @SportsMole for the latest breaking news stories, and follow @sm_headlines to get every headline from Sports Mole
Recommended Next on SM
Alpine reaping 'consequences' of 'bad decisions'
What's the latest on Man United defender Martinez's 'significant' injury?
"There's always that link": Welbeck comments on Man United return speculation

Page options

Premier League Table
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool119112161528
2Manchester CityMan City117222213923
3Chelsea115422113819
4Arsenal115421812619
5Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest115421510519
6Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton115421915419
7Fulham115331613318
8Newcastle UnitedNewcastle115331311218
9Aston Villa115331717018
10Tottenham HotspurSpurs1151523131016
11Brentford115152222016
12Bournemouth114341515015
13Manchester UnitedMan Utd114341212015
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham113351319-612
15Leicester CityLeicester112451421-710
16Everton112451017-710
17Ipswich TownIpswich111551222-108
18Crystal Palace11146815-77
19Wolverhampton WanderersWolves111371627-116
20Southampton11119721-144
Scroll for more - Tap for full version


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
AL
Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!

Loading ...

Failed to load data.

history www

Extra homework: Estevao reveals plan to continue education at Chelsea

1

EH

Man City, Liverpool beware! Arsenal 'monitoring' in-demand midfielder

2

MC

Preview: Sweden vs. Slovakia - prediction, team news, lineups

NEW

3

PS

Arsenal defender 'more likely' to leave on loan in January

NEW

4

AD

How close was Newcastle winger Gordon to joining Chelsea in 2022?

5

HC

Could Liverpool's Slot raid former rival for 21-year-old attacker?

6

CL

Thursday's Nations League predictions including Greece vs. England

7

TN

Zubimendi asking price 'not an obstacle' for Man City amid January interest

8

ZA

Zlatan Ibrahimovic's top 10 goals of all time

9

ZI

Ironic timing: Kane 'uncertain' for England game after withdrawals rant

10

IT


. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .