The Alpine Academy, formerly known as the RF1 Driver Programme, Renault Driver Development and Renault Sport Academy, is a driver development programme to support young racing drivers through their careers. The programme was created by Renault F1 in 2002.
In 2011, the programme was renamed LRGP Academy, following the rebranding of the team to "Lotus Renault GP". In 2012, the programme was renamed Lotus F1 Team iRace Professional Programme and 2013–2015, the programme was renamed Lotus F1 Junior Team. In 2021, the programme was renamed Alpine Academy after the rebranding of the Renault F1 team into Alpine F1 Team. In March 2022, the Alpine Affiliates programme was launched as a support to drivers starting their motorsport careers, and is intended to be a feeder for the Alpine Academy. However, it was merged into Alpine Academy at the start of 2023.
Current drivers
Driver Titles as Alpine junior Kush Maini 2023– FIA Formula 2 Championship none Gabriele Minì 2023– FIA Formula 2 Championship none Kabir Anurag 2024– Formula Regional Middle East TrophyFormula Regional European Championship none Keanu Al Azhari 2025– Eurocup-3 Spanish Winter ChampionshipEurocup-3 Eurocup-3 Spanish Winter Championship (2026) Nina Gademan 2025– F1 Academy none Sukhmani Kaur Khera 2025– {X30-J} (British Kart Championships) none Ilie Tristan Crisan 2025- Karting (OK) None Alex Dunne 2026– FIA Formula 2 Championship none
Graduates to Formula 1 This list contains the drivers that have graduated to Formula 1 while being supported by Renault, Lotus Renault, or Alpine. Therefore, drivers who have had support in the past and entered Formula 1 through other means are not included. For example, both Zhou Guanyu and Oscar Piastri were members of the Alpine Academy, however, they broke their ties with the academy to pursue a graduation to Formula 1 with another team.
DriverAcademy experienceF1 experience with Renault/Lotus/AlpineF1 experience with other teamsYearsFormer series Heikki Kovalainen 2002–2005 British Formula 3 Championship (2002)World Series by Nissan (2003–2004)GP2 Series (2005) McLaren (–)Team Lotus (–)Caterham () Romain Grosjean 2006–2009Formula 3 Euro Series (2006–2007)GP2 Asia Series (2008)GP2 Series (2008–2009) –Haas (–) Jack Doohan 2022–2024 FIA Formula 2 Championship (2022–2023)–
Former drivers
Renault / Lotus Renault GP (2002–2011) Driver Years F1 Team(s) Fabio Carbone 2002 British Formula 3 Championship (2002)None Robert Kubica 2002 Italian Formula Renault Championship (2002)BMW Sauber (2006–2009)Renault (2010)Williams (2019)Alfa Romeo (2021) Tiago Monteiro 2002 French Formula Three Championship (2002)International Formula 3000 (2002)Jordan (2005)Midland F1 (2006) Carlo van Dam 2002 Karting (2002)None Eric Salignon 2002–2003 Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 (2002)Championnat de France Formula Renault 2.0 (2002)British Formula 3 Championship (2003)None Danny Watts 2003 British Formula 3 Championship (2003)None José María López 2003–2006 Formula Renault V6 Eurocup (2003)International Formula 3000 (2004)GP2 Series (2005–2006)None Giedo van der Garde 2004 Formula 3 Euro Series (2004)Caterham (2013) Loïc Duval 2004–2005 Formula 3 Euro Series (2004–2005)None Pastor Maldonado 2004–2005 Italian Formula Renault Championship (2004)Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 (2004)Formula Renault 3.5 Series (2005)Williams (2011–2013)Lotus F1 (2014–2015) Jérôme d'Ambrosio 2004, 2010 Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 (2004)Championnat de France Formula Renault 2.0 (2004)GP2 Series (2010) Virgin Racing (2011)Lotus F1 (2012) Lucas di Grassi 2005–2007 Formula 3 Euro Series (2005)GP2 Series (2006–2007)Virgin Racing (2010) Ben Hanley 2006–2008 Formula Renault 3.5 Series (2006–2007)GP2 Series (2008)None Dani Clos 2007 Formula 3 Euro Series (2007)None Nelson Panciatici 2007 Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 (2007)Championnat de France Formula Renault 2.0 (2007)None Charles Pic 2009 Formula Renault 3.5 Series (2009)Marussia (2012)Caterham (2013) Marco Sørensen 2009 Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 (2009)Formula Renault 2.0 NEC (2009)None Davide Valsecchi 2009 GP2 Series (2009)None Jan Charouz 2010–2011 Formula Renault 3.5 Series (2010–11)Auto GP (2011)None Ho-Pin Tung 2010–2011 GP2 Series (2010)Superleague Formula (2011)None Fairuz Fauzy 2011 GP2 Series (2011)None Championship titles highlighted in bold.
Lotus F1 (2012–2015)
Driver Years F1 Team(s) Kevin Korjus 2012 Formula Renault 3.5 Series (2012)None Richie Stanaway 2012 Formula Renault 3.5 Series (2012)None Óscar Tunjo 2012–2014 Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 (2012–2013)Formula Renault 2.0 Alps (2012)Formula Renault 2.0 NEC (2013)Formula Renault 3.5 Series (2014)GP3 Series (2015)None Esteban Ocon 2012–2014 Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 (2012–2013)Formula Renault 2.0 Alps (2012)Formula Renault 2.0 NEC (2013)FIA Formula 3 European Championship (2014)Formula Renault 3.5 Series (2014)Manor (2016)Force India (2017–2018)Racing Point Force India (2018)Renault (2020)Alpine (2021–2024)Haas (2025–2026) Dorian Boccolacci 2012–2015 Karting (2012–13)French F4 Championship (2014)FIA Formula 3 European Championship (2015)None Alex Fontana 2013–2014 GP3 Series (2013–2014)None Marco Sørensen 2013–2015 Formula Renault 3.5 Series (2013–2014)GP2 Series (2014–2015)FIA World Endurance Championship (2015)None Alexander Albon 2013–2015 Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 (2013–2014)Formula Renault 2.0 NEC (2013–2014)FIA Formula 3 European Championship (2015)Toro Rosso (2019)Red Bull (2019–2020)Williams (2022–) Marlon Stöckinger 2013–2015 Formula Renault 3.5 Series (2013–2015)GP2 Series (2015)None Callan O'Keeffe 2014 Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 (2014)Formula Renault 2.0 NEC (2014)None Gregor Ramsay 2014 Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 (2014)Formula Renault 2.0 NEC (2014)None Juan Manuel Correa 2014–2015 Karting (2014–2015)None Matthieu Vaxivière 2015 Formula Renault 3.5 Series (2015)Formula Renault 2.0 Alps (2015)None Petr Ptáček 2015 Karting (2015)None
Renault Sport (2016–2020) Driver Years F1 Team(s) Louis Delétraz 2016 GP2 Series (2016)Formula V8 3.5 Series (2016)None Kevin Jörg 2016 GP3 Series (2016)None Oliver Rowland 2016 GP2 Series (2016)None Jack Aitken 2016–2018 GP3 Series (2016–17)FIA Formula 2 Championship ()Williams (2020) Sun Yueyang 2016–2018 Karting (2016)Formula Renault Eurocup (2017)Formula Renault NEC (2017)BRDC British Formula 3 Championship (2018)None Marta García 2017 Spanish F4 Championship (2017)SMP F4 Championship (2017)None Jarno Opmeer 2017 Formula Renault Eurocup (2017)None Max Fewtrell 2017–2020 Formula Renault Eurocup (2017–2018) Formula Renault NEC (2017–18) FIA Formula 3 Championship (2019–20) None Christian Lundgaard 2017–2020 SMP F4 Championship (2017)F4 Spanish Championship (2017)Formula Renault Eurocup (2018)FIA Formula 3 Championship (2019)FIA Formula 2 Championship (2020)None Sacha Fenestraz 2018 FIA Formula 3 European Championship (2018)GP3 Series (2018) None Arthur Rougier 2018 Formula Renault Eurocup (2018)None Anthoine Hubert 2018–2019 FIA Formula 2 Championship ()None Victor Martins 2018–2019 Formula Renault Eurocup (2018–2019)None Leonardo Lorandi 2019 Formula Renault Eurocup (2019)None Yifei Ye 2019 FIA Formula 3 Championship (2019)None Caio Collet 2019–2020 Formula Renault Eurocup (2019–2020) None Guanyu Zhou 2019–2020FIA Formula 2 Championship (2019–2020)Alfa Romeo (2022–2023)Kick Sauber (2024) Hadrien David 2020Formula Renault Eurocup (2020)None Oscar Piastri 2020 FIA Formula 3 Championship (2020) McLaren (2023–) Championship titles highlighted in bold.
Alpine F1 (2021–)
Driver Years F1 Team(s) Christian Lundgaard 2021 FIA Formula 2 Championship (2021)IndyCar Series (2021) None Guanyu Zhou 2021 FIA Formula 2 Championship (2021)F3 Asian Championship (2021) Alfa Romeo (2022–2023)Kick Sauber (2024) Caio Collet 2021–2022 FIA Formula 3 Championship (2021–2022) None Oscar Piastri 2021–2022 FIA Formula 2 Championship (2021) McLaren (2023–) Victor Martins 2021–2024 FIA Formula 3 Championship (2021–2022)FIA Formula 2 Championship (2023–2024) None Olli Caldwell 2022 FIA Formula 2 Championship (2022) None Hadrien David 2022 Formula Regional European Championship (2022) None Matheus Ferreira 2022–2023 Italian F4 Championship (2023)F4 Brazilian Championship (2023) None Kean Nakamura-Berta 2022–2024Karting (2022–2023)Formula 4 UAE Championship (2024)Italian F4 Championship (2024)Euro 4 Championship (2024) None Abbi Pulling 2022–2024 W Series (2022)F1 Academy (2023–2024)F4 British Championship (2024) None Nikola TsolovMini and Tsolov join Alpine Academy for 2023 season 2022–2024 F4 Spanish Championship (2022)FIA Formula 3 Championship (2023–2024) None Aiden Neate 2023 Formula Regional Middle East Championship (2023)F4 British Championship (2023)None Sophia Flörsch 2023–2024 FIA Formula 3 Championship (2023–2024) None Nicola Lacorte 2024–2025 Formula Regional Oceania Championship (2024)Formula Regional European Championship (2024)FIA Formula 3 Championship (2025) None Championship titles highlighted in bold.
Rac(H)er Karting Programme
Driver Chiara Bättig 2023 OK Junior Switzerland Aiva Anagnostiadis 2023–2024 Australian Kart ChampionshipRotax Winter CupIAME Euro Serie Lisa Billard 2023–2024 South Garda Winter Cup - OKJWSK Super Master Series - OKJChampionnat de France - NationaleChampions of the Future - OKJCIK-FIA Academy Trophy Mariachiara Nardelli 2023–2024 Italian ACI Karting Championship Angélina Proenca 2023–2024 IAME Euro Series
See also Alpine F1 Team
Notes
References
External links Renault Formula One Official website - Renault Sport Academy