Tucked away in the heart of the Enstone factory, the model shop is one of the most vital departments at the BWT Alpine Formula One Team. It’s here the journey of the real-world F1 car begins - in miniature.

This is where a scaled-down replica of the Alpine car is meticulously crafted. Once complete, it’s placed into the wind tunnel for aerodynamic testing, and the results are critical in influencing either the real-world development of the A525 or next year’s car. The pace is relentless. The team produces around 800 parts a week - from front and rear wings to complex floor sections and intricate bodywork components.

To stay on schedule, the model shop runs 24 hours a day, five days a week, with extra shifts at weekends. It’s a high-pressure, high-stakes environment - and at the helm is someone who knows it inside out: Team Leader Des Boyles.

Leading from the front

Des started at Enstone in 2006, working the night shift as a model maker during the Renault and Lotus F1 eras. After a spell away gaining experience at another team, he returned in 2017 - and has led the model shop for the past six years. For Des, success is a team effort. “We have a very close-knit group that works incredibly well together,” he says. “Everyone pulls in the same direction, and that’s how we hit targets that sometimes feel impossible.”

One of his key responsibilities is ensuring the team meets the demands of the Aerodynamic Testing Regulations (ATR) - a crucial element of modern Formula 1, which governs how teams develop their cars. It defines the wind tunnel replica must only be a 60 per cent copy, but its modular construction means it’s made up of hundreds of interchangeable parts that can be built, tested, refined, and rebuilt - often in just two weeks.

“We manage a priority list for every component and track its journey from concept to wind tunnel. It’s a fast-moving process, but when it works, it’s incredibly rewarding. For me, winning happens in the model shop - when we hit a tough target or solve a complex problem as a team, that’s as satisfying as any result on track.”

The people behind the process

After nearly 15 years at Enstone, Des is often asked for advice by apprentices looking to follow in his footsteps. His answer is always the same: patience, humour, teamwork, and pride in your work are more valuable than experience alone.

“If I had ten people with no experience,” he says, “the one who’d make it is the one with the right attitude - because that’s something you can’t teach.”

In a department where precision and passion go hand-in-hand, that mindset is what sets Alpine apart. Behind every part built in the model shop, there’s a story of collaboration, commitment, and care - and it’s that spirit that keeps the car, and the team, moving forward.