Alpine bolster technical team as senior personnel with experience at Red Bull and Ferrari join the squad

F1 Correspondent & Presenter

Lawrence Barretto
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Alpine have bolstered their technical team with a plethora of new employees, including three senior personnel with recent experience at rivals Red Bull and Ferrari, Formula1.com has learned.

Michael Broadhurst and Vin Dhanani return to Enstone as Chief Aerodynamicist and Head of Vehicle Performance respectively, while Jacopo Fantoni takes on the role of Deputy Chief Engineer.

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Broadhurst – who spent seven years at Enstone earlier in his career – was Principal Aerodynamicist at Red Bull during a period when they won two constructors’ titles and previously worked at McLaren as Deputy Head of Aerodynamics.

Dhanani joins after seven years at Red Bull, most recently as Vehicle Performance Team Leader. Before that, he spent around five years at Sauber and around the same time at Lotus (which is now under the Alpine banner).

Broadhurst – who spent seven years at Enstone earlier in his career - was Principal Aerodynamicist at Red Bull during a period when they won two constructors’ titles and previously worked at McLaren as Deputy Head of Aerodynamics.

Michael Broadhurst was Principal Aerodynamicist at Red Bull during a period when they won two constructors’ titles and previously worked at McLaren as Deputy Head of Aerodynamics

Fantoni has been on gardening leave since leaving Ferrari, where he spent 13 years – most recently as Head of Simulation in the design office alongside David Sanchez, who has since joined Alpine as Executive Technical Director.

The trio started work at Enstone today (July 1) and slot into Alpine’s three-pillared technical structure, centred around aerodynamics, performance and engineering.

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Broadhurst will report into David Wheater, Dhanani into Ciaron Pilbeam and Fantoni into Joe Burnell – with Sanchez slotting in above as the overall technical lead.

Alpine are in the midst of a rebuild following a suite of senior staff leaving the team over the last year or so – including their CEO, Chief Technical Officer, Technical Director, Sporting Director and Head of Aerodynamics.

Jacopo Fantoni takes on the role of Deputy Chief Engineer at the Enstone outfit

Jacopo Fantoni takes on the role of Deputy Chief Engineer at the Enstone outfit

News of the new recruits comes after Williams announced at the weekend that they had hired 26 staff from rival teams, including several that had previously worked for Alpine.

The French manufacturer is starting to build some momentum this season after a woeful start that saw them start the season opener on the back row of the grid.

READ MORE: Alpine announce further team changes as Flavio Briatore returns in Executive Advisor role

They have scored four times on the bounce, including two double points finishes, to sit eighth in the constructors’ championship, 10 points adrift of RB.

Alpine announced in Austria that Pierre Gasly had agreed a deal to stay until at least the end of 2026 – with the team now focused on securing the return of Carlos Sainz for the second seat.

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Vin Dhanani is Alpine's new Head of Vehicle Performance

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