Pierre Gasly has urged the Alpine F1 team to stay united following the unexpected resignation of Renault Group chairman Luca de Meo during the Canadian Grand Prix weekend. Gasly emphasized the importance of maintaining focus and momentum within the team as they face an uncertain future.
Impact of Luca de Meo’s departure on Alpine F1
Luca de Meo, who has served as CEO of the Renault Group since 2020, played a crucial role in rebranding the F1 entry as Alpine and securing key figures like Fernando Alonso. During his tenure, the Enstone-based team achieved a race victory with Esteban Ocon, marking a high point in their recent history. Despite these successes, Alpine has struggled to consistently challenge the top teams and has slipped back into midfield contention.
De Meo’s leadership extended beyond branding and recruitment, as he oversaw a critical phase of the team’s transformation. His sudden exit has raised questions about the team’s direction at a time when leadership volatility has been a recurring issue.
Leadership challenges at Alpine over recent years
Alpine’s team principal position has changed hands multiple times in recent years, with figures such as Cyril Abiteboul, Marcin Budkowski, Otmar Sznafauer, Bruno Famin, and Ollie Oakes each holding the post. This instability has proved challenging for the team’s consistency and performance development. Alpine’s difficulties prompted the surprising return of Flavio Briatore as an executive advisor to help steer the team back on course.
Gasly reflects on the situation and calls for team cohesion
Speaking after the Canadian Grand Prix, Gasly expressed disappointment at De Meo’s departure and highlighted the need to understand its full implications. He described his relationship with De Meo as positive and acknowledged the chairman’s inspirational role in his career with Alpine.
“First of all, I think I need to have all the information,”
Gasly said.
I have a very good relationship with Luca, he was the one that took me into the team, and I think he’s a very inspiring person. So obviously, first reaction is that I’m very sad to see him leave.”
Gasly also pointed to the positives continuing within Alpine’s factory, urging the team to carry that progress forward despite recent setbacks.
“I’m sure he’s got some good reasons, and I think at the end, for us as a team – even though not everything is great at the moment – there’s still a lot of positives happening at the factory. And for me, it’s important that we keep that momentum going into ’26, because the picture and the performance could be very different. And we need to keep that in mind.”
Seeking clarity from Alpine’s senior management
Gasly acknowledged the need to discuss with senior management the consequences of De Meo’s resignation on the team’s operations and strategy. While uncertainties remain, he stressed that each team member must continue to focus on their responsibilities.
“Yes, I need to sit down with management and understand a bit more on what it means for the team, etc,”
Gasly added.
“But at the end of the day, we all have our job, we all have our role, and we all need to focus on what we’ve got to do, and do it best. But, for sure I need to sit down with everyone.”
He further emphasized the importance of mutual trust and solidarity during challenging times.
“It’s completely normal, it’s completely human to feel that. And I think it’s important for all of us to stick as a team and stick together in these types of moments. And, you know, rely on each other and just trust the long game.”
Maintaining focus amid ongoing changes
As Alpine navigates this period of change, the team’s ability to unify and harness its existing strengths remains vital. The outlook towards the 2026 season is cautiously optimistic, with Gasly hopeful that sustained effort and collaboration will improve the team’s competitiveness in Formula 1.
With the Renault Group undergoing leadership shifts and Alpine striving to close gaps to leading teams, the coming months will be critical for the squad based at Enstone. How well Alpine can stabilize and capitalize on its resources may determine its future trajectory in the highly competitive F1 landscape.
