Overview
- David Wheater has left his role as Alpine’s director of aerodynamics after roughly a year, with the team yet to name an official successor.
- Wheater’s departure arrives before the Dutch Grand Prix and disrupts work seen as critical for the 2026 rules cycle.
- Until a replacement is appointed, responsibilities fall to engineering lead Joe Burnell and performance lead Ciaron Pilbeam, leaving the technical structure incomplete.
- Alpine recently formalized a three‑pillar model across aerodynamics, engineering and performance, overseen by executive technical director David Sanchez.
- Wheater joined Alpine in late 2023 from Williams and contributed to the current car, while Steve Nielsen is set to start as managing director on September 1 to guide broader restructuring.