Andretti take another huge F1 step as Alpine respond to sale rumours – F1 news round-up

Jamie Woodhouse 10 Apr 2024 10:00 PM

Michael Andretti in front of the FIA logo.

Are you ready for your latest fix of major Formula 1 talking points? Andretti, plus Alpine sale rumours, lead the way.

Andretti are still pushing ahead with their Formula 1 ambitions as they now celebrate a fresh major milestone reached, while Alpine has responded to talk that the team could be on the market for potential buyers. It is time to dive into the action.

Andretti open new Silverstone base

While Formula 1 has said no to Andretti Global’s bid to become an 11th team, the prospective outfit are not being deterred and have instead announced the opening of their new Silverstone factory.

Michael Andretti was joined by his father, 1978 F1 World Champion Mario, to open the facility.

Alpine shut down F1 team sale rumours

With Formula 1 not interested in allowing Andretti to join as a new team at this stage, purchasing an existing one is starting to look like their only way in, which made speculation that Renault-owned Alpine could be up for grabs very interesting indeed.

However, the team has made it very clear to PlanetF1.com that no sale is on the cards.

Aston Martin urged to ditch Lance Stroll

While Aston Martin stole the headlines with their remarkable rise to regular podium-collecting ways at the start of last season, F1 2024 has been tougher going, with Fernando Alonso’s P5 in Saudi Arabia their best result scored so far, while Lance Stroll is once more struggling to hit the heights of his two-time World Champion team-mate.

In a Japanese GP where Alonso raced to an impressive P6, using his DRS tricks to hold off the faster Oscar Piastri and George Russell behind, Stroll managed only P12 after suffering Q1 elimination the day before. BBC F1 pundit Harry Benjamin reckons it is time for Stroll to be booted out of his father Lawrence Stroll’s F1 team.

Daniel Ricciardo at risk of losing RB drive?

Speaking of drivers who struggled at Suzuka, Ricciardo was looking in a decent spot after narrowly missing out on Q3, but a poor race start was followed by him tagging the Williams of Alex Albon as both were sent into the barriers.

And Channel 4 F1 presenter Steve Jones senses RB could be tempted into a driver change “quite soon”.

Martin Brundle weighs in on Ferrari Lewis Hamilton regret talk

While Hamilton has faltered so far in his final Mercedes season ahead of joining Ferrari, the driver who he will replace, Carlos Sainz, is excelling, having taken a dominant win in Australia, backing that up with P3 finishes in his others outings at the Bahrain and Japanese GPs.

That has led to talk of whether Ferrari may be regretting this decision, though Sky F1 pundit Martin Brundle says there is no time for such thoughts.

Alpine Andretti