Oliver Oakes

Oliver Oakes became the team principal of Alpine in the summer of 2024, succeeding Bruno Famin at the French Formula 1 team. The 36-year-old Oakes is the second youngest F1 team principal ever; the youngest was Christian Horner, who was appointed team principal of Red Bull Racing at the age of 31 in 2005. The change of leadership at Alpine is part of a major restructuring in which former F1 team principal Flavio Briatore plays a key role.

Oliver Oakes was announced as the new team principal of the French team shortly after the announcement of Bruno Famin’s departure. The Alpine team has undergone many changes over the past three years, including a major restructuring at the top, with former F1 team principal Flavio Briatore involved as an advisor.

Oakes grew up in motorsport thanks to the connections of his father Billy Oakes, the founder of Eurotek Motorsport. At the age of 12, Oakes was a two-time British karting champion, and at 17, he became the world karting champion, defeating drivers such as Valtteri Bottas and Jules Bianchi. This achievement earned him a spot in Red Bull’s prestigious junior program.

After a short racing career, Oakes decided to focus on the business side of motorsport. In 2011, he founded his own karting team, which participated in various championships. In 2015, he became the team principal of Hitech Grand Prix, leading the team to success in various racing categories, including Formula 2 and Formula 3.

At 36 years old, Oakes is the second youngest Formula 1 team principal in history. The youngest was Christian Horner, who was appointed at the age of 31 to lead Red Bull Racing in 2005. With his move to the pinnacle of motorsport, Oakes can now fully focus on Alpine's performance, a key area where drivers Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon have voiced their frustrations multiple times during the 2024 F1 season.