Oliver Oakes, the team boss of Hitech GP, is making a leap from training classes to Formula 1, taking the helm at the Alpine team. The French racing stable announced this on Wednesday. Oakes is stepping in to replace Bruno Famin, who announced his resignation ahead of the Belgian GP. The 36-year-old Brit, an entrepreneur and former racer, has already achieved multiple successes in racing classes below Formula 1.
Following the summer break, Oliver Oakes will officially begin his role at Alpine. He will become the youngest team boss in the long history of the team. The French are hoping that the young Brit will lead them towards a ‘more dynamic’ future. The first half of the season was not exactly a success – drivers Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon only collected eleven World Championship points. It’s now up to Oakes to lead the Enstone team to success.
Winning Races
“I am delighted that we have been able to attract Oliver ‘Oli’ Oakes for our Formula 1 project,” says Alpine advisor Flavio Briatore. “He is very talented and possesses the right qualities in terms of leadership and success in motorsport. I look forward to working closely with him with a joint focus on climbing the rankings and winning races.”
“I am very grateful to Luca de Meo (CEO Renault) and Flavio Briatore for this opportunity to make Alpine a competitive organization again,” Oakes responded. “The team has talented people and excellent resources, and I am confident that we can achieve a lot together during the rest of this season, but also in the long term.”
Oliver Oakes was the founder of Hitech GP, a prominent player in the training classes for Formula 1. The British racing team was founded in 2015. With Oakes at the helm, Hitech won the title in Formula 3 in 2020. The new team boss of Alpine also has a racing background, in 2005 he became world champion in karting.
