F1 News: Alpine Signs Key Red Bull Aerodynamicist With Imminent Start

Alpine has signed former Red Bull principal Aerodynamicist Michael Broadhurst.

May 3, 2024; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Alpine driver Pierre Gasley (10) races out of turn 17 / John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

The Alpine F1 Team has announced the acquisition of Michael Broadhurst, previously with Red Bull Racing, as their new Chief Aerodynamicist. Broadhurst, who has played a key role in designing multiple championship-winning cars, will commence his role at Alpine in July.

According to a recent report from GP Blog, the French team has successfully enlisted Michael Broadhurst, a seasoned aerodynamic specialist, formerly serving as Principal Aerodynamicist at Red Bull Racing. The official start of his tenure at Alpine is set for July, following the conclusion of his 'gardening leave' period from the Austrian team.

The transition marks a pivotal development for Alpine, as Broadhurst brings a wealth of experience and a proven record of success to the team. During his stint at Red Bull, Broadhurst was instrumental in shaping the aerodynamic designs of three championship-winning cars driven by three-time champion Max Verstappen, until he left the team five months ago.

Prior to his influential role at Red Bull, Broadhurst honed his skills at several other top-tier F1 teams. His career in Formula 1 began at BMW Sauber in 2007, where he entered the field as a CFD Engineer. His journey took him next to Lotus, where he advanced from a CFD Engineer to a CFD Teamleader, eventually ascending to the role of Principal Aerodynamicist by the time of his departure in 2016. He then moved to McLaren, where he expanded his expertise and held the position of Deputy Head of Aerodynamics before making the leap to Red Bull.

This comes after the announcement that David Sanchez will be joining Alpine from McLaren as F1 technical director.

Alpine has been struggling so far this season to find the performance to compete with the front runners. With huge personnel changes, the team started the season at the back of the pack. However, the team picked up its first point in Miami when Esteban Ocon finished in tenth position.