Overview
- Alpine announced on Thursday that it has appointed British engineer Mike Elliott as its new chief technical officer to lead engineering and technical functions at the Enstone factory.
- The team said Elliott will start next week and will take direct charge of aerodynamics, simulation, design and development ahead of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku.
- Elliott brings more than two decades in Formula 1 with senior roles at McLaren, Renault/Enstone and Mercedes where he helped deliver multiple titles but was also linked to Mercedes’ risky ‘no-pontoon’ aero concept that failed after the 2022 rules change.
- Alpine and outside analysts warn the hiring is a strategic, long-term move because technical decisions and new parts made in the factory typically take months to show performance gains on track.
- The appointment aims to speed Alpine’s recovery and help drivers Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto compete more often with the top four teams while the squad remains sixth in the standings and nine points off fifth place.