ALPINE F1, A521 - EVOLUTION RATHER THAN REVOLUTION

After Renault's failure to climb to the top of Formula 1, the company decided on a complete "purge". The new Renault CEO, Luca de Meo, carried out major reforms, which resulted in the creation of a literally new team with a new name, new leadership, new colors and a champion driver.

A few years after returning to the era of hybrid turbo engines, Renault has become a solid team from the middle of the table with several podiums won, and with the rebranding of the team it expects to achieve more, both for brand promotion and placement in top of motorsport.

The presentation of the new car was essentially a presentation of the new team. Surprisingly, one of the main characters could not attend. As the team explained in advance, Fernando Alonso was unable to travel from Switzerland to the UK due to pandemic restrictions. This seemed strange to many, as the presentation was entirely virtual.

Returning to Formula 1 after the break, Fernando watched from side, and the main character was the French driver of the French team, Esteban Ocon. The presentation started with his monologue. Like many this year, Alpine had a pre-recorded presentation.

Esteban answered the host's questions, and then the representatives of the management appeared virtually, announcing the tasks for the season. Nothing reminded me of the great presentations the team has made over the years.

The team did not show the real car, which we will see next week at the test session in Bahrain. For now, everyone prefers to hide their solutions in the context of the new aero regulations. As you already know, the A521 is a combination of the team's first F1 prototype from 1975, the A500, with current year numbers.

The surprise of the presentation was the announcement of Daniel Kvyat as a reserve driver for the team.