F1 team principal resigns from role as bombshell statement drops days after Miami GP
A Formula One team have announced their principal's resignation just two days after the Miami Grand Prix.
On Tuesday evening (May 6), the BWT Alpine Formula One team released a statement confirming that Oliver Oakes has resigned from his role as Team Principal, despite only undertaking the role in the summer of 2024.
“BWT Alpine Formula One announces that Oliver Oakes has resigned from his role a Team Principal,” read the statement.
“The team has accepted the resignation with immediate effect.
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“As of today, Flavio Briatore will continue as Executive Advisor and will also be covering the duties previously performed by Oliver Oakes.
"The team would like to thank Oliver for his efforts since he joined last summer and for his contribution in helping the team secure sixth place in the 2024 Constructors' Championship.
"The team will not be making any further comment."
This comes after it was widely reported that Alpine driver Jack Doohan was likely to be replaced by Franco Colapinto after just six races of the season.
BBC Sport reported that the team refused to comment, but it is thought that the switch is close and could even be confirmed before the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix at Imola in Italy on 16-18 May.
Doohan finished a lapped 17th in the recent Saudi Arabian GP and retired on the first lap in Miami.
At this stage, it's unclear who Oakes' long-term successor will be.
Just last Friday, Oakes spoke to the media about whether Doohan will be replaced at Alpine, to which he replied: "Yeah, as it is today, Jack is our driver along with Pierre. We've been pretty clear on that. We always evaluate, but yeah - today, that is the case."
He added: "Jack needs to continue doing a good job. But it's natural that there's always speculation there."
After the Miami Grand Prix, Doohan's teammate Pierre Gasly admitted that Alpine "needed some answers" before the next race.
“I think it’s just been a difficult weekend all in all,” Gasly explained. “We haven’t really showed any speed at any point. We’ve seen a couple of things which [weren’t] working properly on the car after Quali, made a couple of changes for today."
“I’m still pleased we’re getting away with one point from the Sprint yesterday, because it didn’t look like we would be able to fight there so we’ve got to take what we can, but I think we definitely need some answers ahead of Imola," he added.
Luke Davies