Alpine, who operate under the Renault umbrella, are actively devising a strategy to bridge the performance gap in their engine for the upcoming 2024 season.
Bruno Famin, the team's deputy boss, candidly discussed the hurdles Alpine have encountered in an interview with Auto Motor und Sport.
Better car expected for 2024
“We were always faced with the conflict between engine performance and aerodynamics," he said.
"The more power we gave the engine, the worse it became for the aerodynamics.
“We recuperate less energy than the competition and therefore produce less electrical power.
“We can improve the energy management software. It won’t give us more horsepower, but it will give us better driving characteristics."
In addition to grappling with engine performance challenges, Alpine also encountered significant obstacles on other fronts.
Technical director Matt Harman elaborated on additional hurdles, adding: “Our [2023] chassis has too much volume. We had another upgrade to the floor on the table, but to take full advantage of it, we would have needed a new chassis.”
Looking ahead, Alpine aims to overcome these challenges by introducing a comprehensive overhaul, including a new chassis, transmission and suspension for the 2024 season.
The team, headquartered in Enstone, UK, underwent notable shifts in management and ownership, navigating a season that witnessed only three substantial upgrades to their car.
Alpine finished the season P6 in the constructors' standings and will hope their upgrades for next season will help them mount a more formidable challenge to the likes of Aston Martin and McLaren, who finished fifth and fourth respectively.