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Marcin Budkowski has bid adieu to Alpine F1, effective immediately. The senior Polish engineer was with the team since 2018, acting as the executive director.
Sources such as F1 journalists Chris Medland and Andrew Benson have confirmed Budkowski's exit despite an excellent season with the team. The team released an official statement thanking the Polish executive for his efforts. CEO Laurent Rossi said in a statement:
“I would like to thank Marcin Budkowski for his commitment and contribution to the team’s results over the last four years. The team is fully focused on getting the car ready for the first race in Bahrain and deliver a step beyond in performance.”
The official statement also contained a word of thanks from Budkowski himself, who claimed he enjoyed his four years with Renault (now Alpine). He declared:
“I truly enjoyed being part of the leadership team of Renault then Alpine F1 Team, working with such a talented and dedicated group of people. I will be watching the Teams’ progress fondly in the seasons to come.”
A career recap for Alpine F1's executive director Marcin Budkowski's as he departs from the team
Marcin Budkowski began his career in F1 in 2001 as an aerodynamics expert for Prost GP, a team that doesn't exist today. He then moved on to teams such as Ferrari and McLaren, helping the British team win the constructors' trophy in 2008.
The Polish F1 expert stayed with McLaren until 2014 before leaving to work directly with the FIA, eventually becoming the head of the F1 technical department in 2017. However, his association with Alain Prost resumed in 2018 when he joined Alpine (which was then still Renault) and has remained in a strategic role.
His sudden departure from the team comes as a shock to many, especially considering the outstanding season the team had in 2021.
Alpine is going through a transition period, it would seem, with former Aston Martin sponsor BWT rumored to partner with the French team. It is still unclear what the team's future will look like, but star driver Fernando Alonso is confident in the team's abilities and feels the time for excuses is over heading into 2022.
Alpine had an excellent season in 2021
The French team established themselves as strong contenders in the sport, comfortably beating rivals AlphaTauri by placing 5th in the constructors' championship.
Esteban Ocon won his first Grand Prix at the Hungarian Grand Prix, defending excellently from the likes of Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton. Vettel chased the Frenchman down but could not catch him due to clinically precise driving from Ocon.
Fernando Alonso, on the other hand, proved the doubters wrong with consistent performances throughout the season. Now the oldest member of the grid, the Spaniard showed the rest of the field why he was the only driver to dethrone Michael Schumacher in 2005. The 40-year-old scored his first podium in seven years at the inaugural Qatar Grand Prix in November, proving that he still has the magic.
With Fernando Alonso and Esteban Ocon hopeful of the team rising to the top in the coming years, only time will tell if the loss of senior management negatively affects Alpine in 2022.
