Former Alpine drivers evaluate major F1 factor amid radical decision

Former Alpine drivers Oscar Piastri and Fernando Alonso have shared their views on works teams in F1 as the Anglo-French squad looks set to become a customer outfit.

Piastri said that whilst he believes you do not need to be a works team to win in F1, there are "definitely advantages" to it.

The Australian driver stated that even though there would "always" be those benefits, the cost cap era of F1 has made it "much less significant" than it used to be.

McLaren is a Mercedes customer team and leads the German marque by 100 points and two positions in the constructors' championship ahead of the final 10 rounds of the current season.

Recently, Alpine confirmed its plans to voluntarily forfeit its manufacturer status, with a project in place to transition away from works Renault power units.

In years past, customer teams were seldom able to compete with their engine providers but the landscape in F1 has changed and producing a power unit is no longer a guarantee of success.

"I don't think you need to be a works team to win in F1," Piastri told media including RacingNews365 when asked if the past couple of seasons are evidence of a shift in F1's power unit power dynamics.

"I think there's still definitely advantages of being a works team, whether that's from developing the engine how you want it and fitting it into the car exactly how you want, stuff like that. 

"There's always going to be advantages as a works team, but I think now in the cost cap era of F1, it's got much less significance than it did. So, yeah, I think you can be a customer team and put up a really strong fight."

'Still a lot of downsides...'

Alonso was in agreement with the McLaren driver, highlighting the cost cap as well as the inherit advantages afforded works teams.

Like the Woking-based team, Aston Martin are currently Mercedes customers but have entered a works partnership with Honda for the upcoming power unit regulation changes, which take affect in 2026.

The Japanese car giant has powered Red Bull to two successive constructors' titles and potentially a third in row, if the Milton Keynes squad can hold off the fast-charging McLaren.

Even though Aston Martin has struggled relatively in 2024, it started last season ahead of Mercedes in the pecking order, providing further proof of the new balance of power.

"Probably it is the case now with the budget cap," Alonso said to the same question.

"I think the works team cannot get into an unlimited budget or test programme or things like that.

"So everything is more regulated now. But there's still a lot of downsides to not to be a works team. So you can see it both ways probably."