What if I told you Alpine’s star drivers were never part of the real plan?
The full story behind the team’s secret takeover and recent collapse—our two best drivers are now in a very uncertain position.
Oliver Oakes, a former racing driver turned entrepreneur, had a dream: to bring his junior team, Hitech, into Formula 1.
But he didn’t have the money.
Enter the Mazepin family—Dmitry Mazepin and his son Nikita—who were already involved in Hitech and backed by major funding from Uralkali.
Oakes needed investors, and Dmitry Mazepin seemed like the ideal partner.
Nikita raced for Hitech in GP3 and F2, always supported by his father's financial power.
Together, Dmitry and Oliver had a bigger plan: take Hitech to F1. The pieces were falling into place—until things got complicated.
Fast forward to 2024.
Alpine was at its worst: a slow car, management in chaos, and financial instability.
Flavio Briatore was brought in. His mission? Save Alpine’s finances and, reportedly, prepare the team for a future sale, maximizing its value.
Briatore’s first move?
Cutting costs—laying off nearly 400 employees, closing Renault’s F1 engine factory, and switching to Mercedes engines by 2026.
He wasn’t just improving Alpine’s performance. More importantly, he was making the team look profitable.
Oakes was recruited to stabilize operations and ultimately fulfill his dream of becoming an F1 team principal.
The plan was clear: Alpine would be sold to Hitech, and Oakes would take the reins.
Phase 1: Briatore and Oakes prepare Alpine for sale.
Phase 2: Renault scales down its F1 presence; Hitech takes control.
Phase 3: Alpine rebrands as Hitech F1, with Oakes as team boss and his own driver (Aron) in the seat.
What would’ve happened to Pierre Gasly or Franco Colapinto? That was never made clear.
Oakes' dream collapsed when his brother was arrested just days before his unexpected resignation from Alpine.
His brother had been linked to a financial operation involving Dmitry Mazepin and was reportedly found in possession of criminal proceeds tied to the Mazepin family.
That arrest derailed the plan to buy Alpine.
The money to finance the deal had reportedly been routed through a shell company in Cyprus to bypass sanctions against Russia.
Now? The plan is dead.
Here’s the harsh truth:
Colapinto, Gasly, and even Doohan might not have been as important to the plan as fans thought.
Their role was likely limited to keeping Alpine looking competitive while Oakes and Briatore worked behind the scenes.
No driver is truly safe.
Not Gasly, not Colapinto.
To be clear—this isn’t about Jack Doohan.
Briatore is ruthless. In his world, financial results come first, sporting results second.
In Formula 1, it’s never just about racing—it’s about money and politics.
And sometimes, not even the best drivers can save themselves.
Source: Inside Alpine