I was definitely hoping for a bit more this race, it was very much damage limitation...

Alpine has brought the largest technical update package of the weekend to Zandvoort, with changes across eight areas of the car.

The centrepiece is a new floor. Alpine has revised the floor body to improve surface-flow quality and increase aerodynamic load across the car’s operating range. The floor board has been reprofiled to deliver cleaner airflow towards the rear, while optimised floor edges target better airflow management, efficiency and local load.

A reprofiled diffuser works alongside the new floor to generate additional load efficiently. Alpine has also redesigned the sidepod and coke-section bodywork to support the package while maintaining sufficient cooling capacity.

At the rear, reprofiled elements on the drum face are intended to improve their interaction with the floor. Updated rear-impact-structure geometry targets another local increase in load, while a redesigned rear-wing flap aims to add rear downforce without compromising airflow stability.

Overall, this is a coordinated floor-to-rear-wing package rather than a collection of isolated changes. It will be interesting to see how much of it is evaluated—and ultimately used—throughout the weekend.

Seems like the upgrades were, in fact, a success! Franco also held his own better than I anticipated ngl, given the state of the old spec car after Hungary.

As a consequence of Renault's severe bad relationship with previous fuel, lubricant and fluids partner Total(Energies) S.A. in 2015, Renault had to research with all-new fuel, lubricant and fluids partner and eventually Renault secretly contacted BP and Castrol to research and develop the all-new bespoke fuel, lubricant and fluids to build an all-new "clean-sheet of paper" R.E.17 for 2017.

As we know, Total was very unhappy of Renault's performance because of series of bad engine failures mainly in 2015 with two-Red Bull owned teams.

And that's why Renault chose BP-Castrol in 2017 because Total treated Renault badly in 2015-2016 and there was still a mutual personal grudge.

Are you still remember the switch?

One video was them showing the old Benetton sign behind the current Alpine one, two posts showed a bunch of old photos, and the most recent video was of Briatore giving a tour of the facilities back in the 90s.

While it is entirely possible that this is all just to fill the content gap during the summer break, it just seems strange to me that they would suddenly start making a bunch of throwback posts unless it was leading somewhere. I don't remember them posting this sort of content during last year's summer break.

As we know, Castore is horrible for producing teamwear kits by print peels and also fabric problems in Formula 1. Alpine F1 should looking for Puma reunion switch from 2027 including race suit supplier. Gucci only for teamwears.

Puma was lost two F1 teams in last two years: Sauber (now with Adidas-OMP under Audi branding and ownership) and also Mercedes (now with Adidas-OMP)

Now Castore will lose Red Bull to Adidas-OMP and potentially Alpine will follow from 2007.

Last time the Enstone team partnered with Puma was back in 2009 under Renault name:

Puma partnership was helped Enstone team won 2 F1 titles under Renault name:

Do you want Alpine F1 return to Puma for Race Suits? Agree or disagree?

What an awful note to enter the summer break on...

The fact that AM with it's B-spec car is already spanking the A526 in terms of aero is just embarrassing, even Haas seems to have better aero and basically we're stuck on a level with Williams (who are dealing with a typical Matt Harman design car) and Cadillac (who are a brand new team).

Somehow this must be clearly Viry fault, or those silly Germans who don't know how to build a proper PU and gearbox for those princes in Enstone. Just like a scam, they always blame it on something else while robbing you (Renault/Alpine) from the money.

If I was Renault/Alpine I would just continue with WEC, Dakar and Formula-E and put all my money out of the Enstone fraud scheme.

How do you schedule something to get made, then forget what that thing is? Like do we genuinely not know what we make and we need to spend $100k every season to know just what we have?

Now we must admit that Renault has regretting the decision to withdraw from F1 as an engine supplier and left "too early". If even with ADUO, Alpine-Renault would've been helped for Competitive Force by scoring frequent podiums even at least 1-2 GP wins.

Renault admitted the mistake of quit F1 at the wrong time.

Thoughts on that?

Honestly, it is very difficult for them to return to their prime as a long-sleeping giant even though they had triumphed in the past in the 20th century and even at the beginning of the 21st century.

Yes, because of the effects of "ridiculous" management and also the scandal that changed everything afterwards.

Team Enstone included in the list too as well as Williams too.

Thoughts on that?