La Derecha Diario Formula 1: Alpine is about to confirm Steve Nielsen as the new team principal
The experienced executive would be Oliver Oakes's replacement; however, he still needs to receive formal approval from the FIA
Alpine is about to finalize a new change in its management structure. According to the British specialized media outlet Motorsport, the person chosen to take charge of the Formula 1 team will be Steve Nielsen, a name with a long track record in the paddock and extensive experience in the top tier of motorsport.
Nielsen, 60 years old, began his career in F1 in 1986 at Lotus, and since then he has worked for multiple teams and held significant positions. He was assistant to the team principal at Tyrrell in 1994, worked under Flavio Briatore at Benetton, and had stints at Honda, Arrows, and again at Tyrrell before returning to Enstone in 2001 as sporting director.
During the last two decades, his career led him to hold positions at Caterham, Toro Rosso, Williams, and, more recently, in key roles within Liberty Media (as F1 sporting director in 2017) and the FIA, where he took office in 2023 and left after less than a year. Since the beginning of 2024, he has once again served as a technical advisor in F1.
The vacancy at Alpine arose after the departure of Oliver Oakes in early May, following the Miami Grand Prix, amid a family controversy: his brother William Oakes was accused of criminal property transfer. Since then, the team has not had a formal principal.
The appointment of Nielsen, however, is not yet official, since it requires FIA approval, a mandatory step for those assuming roles such as sporting director, technical director, or team principal.
Although it is a simple procedure, in this particular case it would be different. In March 2024, an anonymous whistleblower filed serious allegations against Mohammed ben Sulayem, president of the FIA, including alleged interference in a decision made by the stewards during the 2023 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix involving Fernando Alonso. From that moment on, rumors began to circulate pointing to Steve Nielsen as the possible author of the complaint.
With this appointment, Alpine is betting on Nielsen's experience and deep knowledge of F1 to restore organizational and competitive stability amid a challenging season.
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