Alpine CEO: 'Want to be serious contender for podium by 2025'

Alpine's ambitions are there, but for now the French team lacks the connection to the top. It was announced on Monday morning that three investment parties from North America have bought 24% of the shares in Alpine for 200 million euros. Alpine CEO Laurent Rossi told the team's press conference that the goal is to reach the same resources as the top teams.

'Scared of Aston Martin'

Alpine's plan before the season started was to finish at least fourth, and get closer to the top teams. However, that does not seem to be happening for now: Aston Martin has made great strides in car development, pushing the French racing stable to fifth in the championship. "It was a reality check for Mercedes, Ferrari and us. We were comfortable thinking we were on the rise, and everyone else was, and suddenly there is a guy leapfrogging all of us," Rossi stated.

For now, the Alpine certainly cannot compete for the podium every weekend either. That is the ultimate goal, though, Rossi says: "My goal is by 2025 the Alpine F1 team has the same means as the top teams and is operating in a way that they can put those means to work to become a credible contender for the podium. That's it."