Alpine set to land ex-FIA aero chief Somerville

Alpine is set to bring former FIA head of aerodynamics Jason Somerville into a prominent technical management role, according to RacingNews365, in a move that would add one of the key figures behind Formula 1’s current rules package to the team’s rebuilding project.

Somerville’s final day with the governing body was May 14, and RacingNews365 reports Alpine is expected to confirm his arrival soon, possibly as early as this week. His exit from the FIA and expected move to Enstone would give Alpine a senior aerodynamic voice with experience on both the regulatory side of Formula 1 and inside race teams.

That background is what makes the hire stand out. RacingNews365 says Somerville was one of the main architects of the aerodynamic regulations for the current generation of ground-effect cars and played an important role in shaping the rule set now governing F1. For a team trying to climb back into contention under the current framework while also positioning itself for the next phase of development, that is a significant addition.

Somerville confirmed his departure in a LinkedIn post on May 14. Jason Somerville wrote: “Last day with the FIA today,” before thanking “my FIA colleagues, our technical partners and representatives at FOM and the F1 teams who’ve made the last 4 years so fascinating, enjoyable and challenging! Next chapter starts tomorrow...”

His career before the FIA also points to why Alpine values him so highly. Somerville last worked directly for an F1 team in 2017, after spending almost six years as Williams head of aerodynamics. Before that, he held roles at Lotus and Toyota, building a résumé that spans both factory rule-making influence and the day-to-day demands of producing performance on track.

The timing matters for Alpine because the team appears to be emerging from a difficult period. After a dismal 2025 campaign, RacingNews365 says Alpine made an early decision last year to shift its focus toward the 2026 car. That choice is already showing signs of paying off, with the team having surpassed its entire 2025 points total after only four rounds of the current season.

Against that backdrop, Somerville’s expected arrival looks less like an isolated staffing move and more like another step in Alpine’s attempt to turn an early long-term gamble into sustained competitive progress heading deeper into its 2026 push.