Oliver Oakes has stepped down from his role as Alpine team principal, a decision made just days after his brother faced criminal charges.
His brother, William Oakes, was charged with `transferring criminal property`. This charge stemmed from his arrest on May 1 at Silverstone Park, where he was found to be in possession of a substantial amount of cash.
William Oakes, aged 31 and residing in Rugby, Warwickshire, was remanded into custody following his appearance at Northampton Magistrates` Court on May 3.
A statement released by the Metropolitan Police confirmed that William Oakes was charged on May 2 after being apprehended with a large sum of money the previous day and subsequently held in custody after his court hearing.
William Oakes serves as a director at Hitech Grand Prix, a British junior racing team founded by his brother, Oliver Oakes, in 2015.
Oliver Oakes himself is a former racing driver, having won the karting world title in 2005. It is important to note that he is not connected to his brother`s arrest and is not accused of any wrongdoing. He remains a director at Hitech GP.
Oliver Oakes successfully developed Hitech GP into a prominent force in junior single-seater championships. He took over as Alpine team principal from Otmar Szafnauer in August 2024, becoming the youngest team boss on the Formula 1 grid at the time.
During his tenure, the 37-year-old oversaw some positive results for Alpine, including a notable double podium finish for Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly at the 2024 Sao Paulo Grand Prix in Brazil. His departure comes as a surprise, particularly as it coincided with the decision to replace rookie driver Jack Doohan with Franco Colapinto after only six races.
Hitech GP was contacted for comment regarding the matter, while the Alpine F1 team chose to decline comment.
F1`s European season is set to commence with the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, scheduled to take place from May 16-18.
Marcus Prine