F1's Midfield Madness: How Alpine's surprise double podium shakes up the order

The season so far: Alpine’s struggles in 2024 

It’s no secret that the 2024 Formula 1 season hasn’t been kind to Alpine. An underperforming car and a series of missed opportunities had left the team stuck in ninth place in the championship, with only 16 points to their name after 19 rounds. The start of the season brought with it particular struggles for the Enstone-based squad as an overweight car and underperforming engine left them struggling to gain a single point in the first five races.

Since then, the team have enjoyed more success with odd points here and there helping them stay out of the bottom position, but no performances significant enough to lift them into contention with the likes of RB, Haas, or Aston Martin.

For a team that once seemed poised to challenge at the sharp end of the midfield, this has been a low point in their history.

Team troubles and big changes 

Adding to their woes, Alpine has faced a turbulent year behind the scenes. Rumours about the team’s future have circulated, and in September, it was announced that the team would close their works engine programme at the end of 2025, transitioning to Mercedes power units when the new regulations kick in in 2026.

This isn’t the only big shake-up Alpine has seen this year. The team also welcomed back former boss Flavio Briatore as an executive advisor in May, who is already making big changes to the team’s operations in addition to closing the engine programme. With a focus on efficiency and trimming down costs, the entire team is being broken down and rebuilt off-track in an attempt to revitalise the squad.

The Brazil Grand Prix effect 

The highly dramatic and unconventional Sao Paulo Grand Prix this weekend served up plenty of interesting events – not least the surprise double podium for this struggling French squad.

With Ocon lining up 4th on the grid ahead of the Grand Prix on Sunday, and Gasly sat in P13, it looked like a tall order to get ahead of the frontrunners who surrounded both drivers. However, an action-packed race which saw numerous incidents, torrential rain, and controversy ultimately came down to good strategy, a car which performed in the wet, and a driving masterclass from both drivers.

Gasly worked his way through the field during the opening stages of the race, and thanks to a poorly timed tyre change from McLaren and Mercedes, Lando and George were left at a disadvantage when the red flags came out on lap 32 and Alpine secured a free swap of rubber. From then it was just a matter of using the weather, their skill, and a car which seems to favour the wet to bring home a fantastic P2 and P3 for the team, behind Max Verstappen.

SEE ALSO: SAO PAULO GRAND PRIX RACE RECAP

What all this means 

Thanks to this remarkable result, the team walked away with a huge haul of 35 points after the weekend (counting the two points Gasly picked up in the Sprint). While not as significant for the frontrunners, this makes a huge difference to the midfield teams who fight over the smallest of margins, where every single point counts.

In fact, this single weekend has been enough to catapult them from ninth to sixth in the Constructors' Championship – ahead of Haas, RB, and Williams.  Significantly, this leap has pushed them ahead of Haas, who, despite having one of their strongest seasons, now find themselves overtaken by a team many considered out of contention.

If Alpine can hold onto this position, they’re set to secure a significant financial boost through additional championship prize money. This could be just what they need to increase morale and push forward in their developments as they return to competitiveness.

With a revitalised team, a fresh engine partnership on the horizon, and newfound momentum, Alpine’s story could be about to take an exciting turn in the Formula 1 midfield battle.