Oliver Oakes resigned as Alpine team principal days after his brother was arrested.

William Oakes was charged with “transferring criminal property” after being found in “possession of a large amount of cash” when he was stopped in Silverstone Park on May 1.

The 31-year-old, of Rugby, Warwickshire, was remanded in custody after appearing at Northampton Magistrates’ Court on May 3.

A Metropolitan Police statement read: “William Oakes, 31, of Rugby was charged with transferring criminal property on Friday, 2 May after he was stopped in the Silverstone Park area in Northamptonshire on Thursday, 1 May 2025 in possession of a large amount of cash.

“He appeared before Northampton Magistrates’ Court on Saturday, 3 May and was remanded in custody.”

William Oakes is a director at Hitech Grand Prix, the British-based junior team founded by his brother Oliver Oakes in 2015.

Oliver Oakes, who is not linked to William Oakes’ arrest and is not accused of any wrongdoing, is a former racing driver and won the 2005 karting world title. He remains a director of Hitech GP.

Oliver Oakes turned the team into a powerhouse of the single-seater championships, including Formula 2 and Formula 3, before replacing Otmar Szafnauer as Alpine team principal in August 2024 to become the youngest team boss on the F1 grid.

The 37-year-old oversaw a spectacular double podium for Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly at the 2024 Sao Paulo Grand Prix in Brazil but his shock departure came with rookie driver Jack Doohan replaced by Franco Colapinto after only six races.

Sky Sports News has approached Hitech GP for comment, while Alpine F1 declined to comment.

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