ALPINE have announced the resignation of Team Principal Oliver Oakes just six races into the Formula One season, amid rumours they are also looking at replacing rookie Jack Doohan.
In a statement on Tuesday evening after the Miami Grand Prix, Alpine confirmed Oakes had resigned from his post with immediate effect.
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The statement said: “BWT Alpine Formula One Team announces that Oliver Oakes has resigned from his role as Team Principal.
“The team has accepted his resignation with immediate effect.
“As of today, Flavio Briatore will continue as Executive Advisor and will also be covering the duties previously performed by Oliver Oakes.
“The team would like to thank Oliver for his efforts since he joined last summer and for his contribution in helping the team secure sixth place in the 2024 Constructors’ Championship.
“The team will not be making any further comment.”
Oakes, 37, only joined the French constructor as team principal last July.
His exit means he is the fifth team principal to leave the Enstone-based team since 2020.
According to The Times, the Briton’s decision to leave the team came due to an internal split decision over the future of driver Doohan, with 75-year-old executive advisor Briatore pushing for Franco Colapinto to take the seat in his place.
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It’s claimed Briatore was calling the shots behind the scenes despite Oakes having a – publicly at least – more senior position, including the decision to ditch their works engine to become a Mercedes customer for 2026.
A poor start to the 2025 F1 season has left the team down in ninth place in the Constructors’ Championship, and only one point ahead of bottom placed team Sauber.
Reacting to the news, one fan said: “Alpine are the Watford of F1,” a joke that comes on the same day the Championship outfit sacked manager Tom Cleverley.
A second said: “Alpine moving like prime Watford.”
A third added: “Alpine are basically the Watford of Formula One.”
Another said: “And the revolving door of team principals at Alpine continues; Ollie Oakes gone after less than a year. What a joke of an organisation.”
A fifth said: “Alpine is soo COOKED. This team is a joke. We know exactly what their next move is.”
Former Red Bull driver Pierre Gasly has scored 100 per cent of the team’s points so far this season.
Rookie team-mate Doohan has struggled to find pace in the car and came closest to scoring points at the Chinese Grand Prix with a P13 finish.
The Australian did not even finish one lap of the Miami race after picking up a puncture when Liam Lawson made contact with him after placing his car in a gap which did not exist at Turn 1.
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Doohan – the son of five-time MotoGP champion, Mick, and who was given his first-ever kart by seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher – tried to make it back to the pits but was forced to pull over at a service road.
The 22-year-old called the incident “disappointing”, while Gasly admitted the team “need answers” on their pace struggles.
But despite his rotten luck, paddock rumours suggest he could be replaced by reserve driver Colapinto, who was the favourite for the seat after his stint at Williams at the back end of last season.
The Argentine was poached from Williams to Alpine as their reserve driver, which had put Doohan’s seat under pressure before the season had even begun.
Ralf Schumacher previously claimed to the Backstage Boxengasse podcast that Doohan had a $17m (£12.7m) sponsor deal with the team, though Colapinto has significant backing of his own from Latin American sponsors.
But Doohan is now set to become the second axed driver of the season after Lawson was demoted from Red Bull to Racing Bulls in place of Yuki Tsunoda after two woeful race weekends.
Unfortunately, Doohan will not have a second team seat to fall back on his like Kiwi counterpart.
The next race will commence on May 18.
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