Our first new team in F1 has launched their 2021 car, the A521, to the world. During an insightful virtual launch, we got to hear from Esteban Ocon and the Alpine team about their goals for 2021. With a red, white and blue livery to represent their French and British roots, everyone has fallen in love with the car and look forward to a successful year for the new team.
The car:
The Alpine team were very proud of their French/British combination red, white and blue livery on the A521. This new, very colourful livery will look exceptional on the track this year, despite being different to the previous yellow of the Renault livery. The sleek design has black front and rear wing details with a bright body. There are subtle references to the French flag on the rear wing as predicted following the discussions online. It is also nice to see a bright blue car, given the fact we have seen an abundance of navy in the launches so far. This car is completely different to any others on the grid and will be a nice addition to the 2021 grid. Let’s hope it looks as good on track as it looks like it will.
The launch:
The Alpine team produced an exceptional virtual launch for F1 fans everywhere. Using hologram screens, the team could interact and discuss the changes, all while showcasing the car. Despite missing Fernando Alonso, who made a cameo at the end of the launch, Esteban Ocon was every bit the proud Frenchman. He introduced the history of the team and the car and discussed his aims for the year. He was of course aware of the difficulties the team will have in 2021, but excited for the possibilities of more podiums and better standings in the championship.
The team:
Today’s event gave the team the opportunity to officially announced their team, both on and off the track. We got to hear from Ocon in person, plus some input from Alonso online. Ahead of the season, fans could hear about their aims and expectations, as well as excitement for this fresh start. Guanyu Zhou was also given his spotlight as their test driver for the season, highlighting the importance of the Alpine junior programme in the future of the team. This was not the most surprising element of the team launch today however.
While Zhou will take the test driver role for 2021, a familiar face is returning to F1 with Alpine as their reserve driver. Daniil Kyvat will take on this role this year, ending speculation as to where, or if, the Russian would drive this year. After such an uncertain end to his time at AlphaTauri in 2020, it is nice to see that he is being given a chance to stay in the sport. With COVID-19 still affecting the world so much, he may have a chance to drive the A521 this year. We, of course, hope for the safety and health of everyone involved in F1. Despite this, with so many drivers contracting the virus in 2020, as well as Alonso’s accident, Kvyat being strong will be important this year, as it will be for every reserve driver.
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