17 replies to this topic

[FullThrottleF1]

Very rude from de Meo in this article: https://www.autocar....th-alpine-brand

 

de Meo basically calling them not worthy to compete against, all the while they have been routinely beaten by such independents over the last couple of years.

[PayasYouRace]

Isn’t this the team that’s going to run customer Mercedes engines next year, making them an independent too?

[FullThrottleF1]

Isn’t this the team that’s going to run customer Mercedes engines next year, making them an independent too?

 

Alpine as an F1 team makes no sense to me. Let's not even mention that they are using a ICE car to promote a brand that very very soon will be an EV only brand 

[midgrid]

Is being rude, though?  I think he's just saying that, as a car manufacturer, F1 is a good sporting investment because you can compete against other manufacturers.
 
And I think "funky" is quite a generous description of Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber and Visa Cash App Racing Bulls F1 Team, for instance.

[PayasYouRace]

It will also never not be funny to me that his name translates in Spanish slang as having peed himself.

[pacificquay]

I took his quote to mean teams in other racing series were the funky names, not F1

[Frood]

I took his quote to mean teams in other racing series were the funky names, not F1

That’s how I read it too, to be honest.

[Sterzo]

That's definitely what he means, and it's refreshing to hear a senior company man speaking in casual language rather than spouting PR waffle.

[Afterburner]

It will also never not be funny to me that his name translates in Spanish slang as having peed himself.

He’s the Mike Krack of senior F1 personnel!

[pup]

I took his quote to mean teams in other racing series were the funky names, not F1

Same here. My question is what exactly are the ‘funky names’ in those series? Asian brands?

[JL14]

I took his quote to mean teams in other racing series were the funky names, not F1

 

This indeed.

So just close this thread already.

[BRG]

Has anyone read his comment?.  It is crystal clear -  “F1 is the pinnacle of industries. You see yourself competing with Aston Martin, Ferrari, Mercedes etc, rather than some funky names, which is better for us, because it's a kind of a translation of the real world.”   No mention of other series.  He is indeed dissing the non-manufacturer teams and given Renault/Alpine's pretty mediocre performance over their tenure as a constructor (just 36 GP wins and 2 WCC titles in over 40 years) that is pretty rich.  With that attitude, it is not surprising that his team is looking less and less credible

[CoolBreeze]

Ask him to pack up renault or whatever it is they are call and bugger off. A genuine embarrassment for F1.

[guiporsche]

Is being rude, though?  I think he's just saying that, as a car manufacturer, F1 is a good sporting investment because you can compete against other manufacturers.
 
And I think "funky" is quite a generous description of Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber and Visa Cash App Racing Bulls F1 Team, for instance.

 

This, a thousand times. Although it's of course ironical that they'll soon become just a name as well.

 

In any case, one might make fun of the musical chairs game Alpine went through, and rightly detest the comeback of Briatore, but away from the prickly and very very small F1 bubble, Renault has been doing extremely well, especially given the current conjuncture. So hats off to De Meo.

[Risil]

Here's the quote:
 

Competing against and sometimes beating established names in front of some 750 million people globally gives Alpine credibility, de Meo believes: “F1 is the pinnacle of industries. You see yourself competing with Aston Martin, Ferrari, Mercedes etc, rather than some funky names, which is better for us, because it's a kind of a translation of the real world.”

 

I don't really understand it. Who are the funky names you'd get by competing (it's implied) outside Formula One? WEC? IMSA? Formula E? Where else are Alpine going to go?

[FLB]

Here's the quote:
 

 

I don't really understand it. Who are the funky names you'd get by competing (it's implied) outside Formula One? WEC? IMSA? Formula E? Where else are Alpine going to go?

Not the WEC, where Alpine already are present.

[danmills]

That’s how I read it too, to be honest.

 

Like Toyota Gazoo Funky Gibbon Racing or whatever it is 

[LolaB0860]

Ah. The guy with a brand name famous in rebadging racing cars made by other people and taking all the credit for it. Bugger off. And send Oreca a gift basket while you are at it (or don't actually, as Oreca themselves ruined racing even worse)

Edited by LolaB0860, 21 February 2025 - 19:03.