’It’s always been about racing, I don’t know anything else’ – F1's newest team boss Oli Oakes on getting Alpine back on track


Not long after Oli Oakes was announced as Alpine’s new Team Principal – and the second youngest team boss in Formula 1 history – he had a call from rival and Mercedes chief Toto Wolff to congratulate him.
“Toto said something quite funny,” says Oakes. “He said ‘it’s good to have some young blood [among] us dinosaurs!’ I was laughing away, it was nice of him to be so welcoming. People at home don’t often get to see that part of F1 – how close people are, how so many people have come up through the ranks together in different ways. I think it’s quite cool.”
Next Up
Related Articles
What time is the 2026 Japanese GP and how can I watch it?
What tyres will the teams and drivers have for Japan?
How Albon is writing the latest chapter in Southeast Asia’s F1 story
6 F1 drivers who starred in other racing series
Facts, stats and trivia ahead of the 2026 Japanese GP
LiveLIVE COVERAGE: All the build-up ahead of the Japanese GP
