The Formula One Summer break may have just started despite this; however, it has been a busy start to the week, first, we had the news that Carlos Sainz has signed a multi-year contract to race for the Williams Racing team from 2025 onwards, and on Wednesday, the Alpine F1 Team announced the appointment of Oliver Oakes as their new Team Principal.
At 36, Oakes becomes the second youngest Formula One team boss in the sport’s history, with Oracle Red Bull Racing’s Christian Horner holding that record, becoming the boss of Red Bull when they joined the sport in 2005, when Horner was 31.
While Oakes has no Formula One team boss experience, since 2015, he has operated the highly successful Hitech Grand Prix single-seater racing organization.
Speaking about the appointment of Oakes, Renault Group CEO Luca de Meo commented saying:
“It is a pleasure to welcome Oli to the team and for him to become one of the youngest Team Principals that this sport has ever seen. This team is being built for future success and this is highlighted by Oli’s appointment in a senior role. We look forward to harnessing his enthusiasm, energy and passion for racing and realising that mindset across the entire team.”
Alpine F1 Team Executive Advisor Flavio Briatore said:
“I am delighted that we have been able to recruit Oli Oakes for our Formula 1 project. Oli is highly talented with a great record of leadership and success in racing. His move into this role is a great example of the strength and belief we have in our team and by young, upcoming people, and I’m excited to work closely with him with a joint focus on moving up the grid and winning races.”
Oliver Oakes, Team Principal of the Alpine F1 Team said:
“I am extremely grateful to Luca de Meo and Flavio Briatore for this opportunity to lead BWT Alpine F1 Team back to competitiveness. The team has talented people and excellent resources at its core, and I am confident that we can accomplish a great deal together during the remainder of this season and the longer term. I look forward to getting started after the summer break.”
Alpine heads into the Formula One Summer break in eighth place in the championship on eleven points. Oakes’ first race with the team will be the Dutch Grand Prix which takes place from August 23 – 25.