Alpine sign former FIA figure to key F1 role

The Alpine F1 team has announced the signing of Steve Nielsen to the role of managing director.

Working under Briatore, he will oversee the day-to-day running of the team at Enstone, starting from 1st September, prior to the Italian Grand Prix.

Nielsen has vast experience working in F1, having first joined the sport in the mid-1980s and holding roles with several different teams across the last four decades.

This included a stint at Team Enstone alongside Briatore, who is now heading up operations at Alpine following Oliver Oakes' sudden departure, when the French squad won championships with Fernando Alonso as Renault in 2005 and 2006.

Nielsen held a senior role at Williams before joining the FIA in August 2017 as sporting director, before departing the organisation at the end of 2023.

Now, midway through the 2025 F1 campaign, Alpine has announced the re-signing of Nielsen in a senior management position alongside two other key hires.

Kris Midgley has joined as head of aerodynamic development, and Guy Martin is the team's new global marketing director.

The former worked for the team between 2007 and 2013 and will report to David Sanchez, and the latter has joined from Visa, where he worked with Racing Bulls, Formula E and a host of other international sporting events.

The French squad is enduring a difficult campaign and currently sits bottom of the constructors' standings after 11 rounds.