Alpine drivers Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto have expressed strong confidence in their team‘s ability to compete for the Formula 1 title with the implementation of new regulations in 2026. This renewed optimism follows significant changes within the team and a fresh focus on the upcoming rules cycle.
Before the Spanish Grand Prix, Alpine’s de facto leader, Flavio Briatore, highlighted that the French squad aims to secure race wins in 2026 and position itself as a championship contender possibly as soon as 2027.
Recent Struggles and the Promise of Regulatory Changes
Since Esteban Ocon’s victory at the 2021 Hungarian Grand Prix, Alpine has not celebrated a race win. The team finished sixth in last season’s constructors‘ standings, hampered by an overweight car early in the year that affected performance. Owned by Renault, Alpine is looking to reverse this trend with the sweeping technical changes announced for 2026.
The upcoming rules bring major alterations to the chassis and power units, creating one of the most substantial shifts in recent F1 history. This overhaul promises to reshape the competitive landscape, providing Alpine and other teams with an opportunity to challenge established frontrunners.
Strategic Overhaul with New Power Unit Partnership
In preparation for the 2026 season, Alpine has dramatically restructured its Formula 1 programme. A key move involves abandoning its in-house power unit development, opting instead to use customer engines supplied by Mercedes. This strategic decision aims to improve the team’s development speed and overall competitiveness.
Pierre Gasly’s Perspective on Alpine’s Future
Since joining Alpine in 2023 after a lengthy spell at AlphaTauri/Toro Rosso, Pierre Gasly has embraced the team‘s ambitious goals aligned with Flavio Briatore’s vision. Gasly spoke to reporters, including Crash.net, about the team’s united focus:
“I think we align [on the targets],”
—Pierre Gasly, Alpine driver
He emphasized the opportunity presented by the new regulations, calling it the best chance for Alpine in over a decade. Gasly remarked on the extent of the technical reset involved:
“It’s a complete revamp, you start from a completely new page. It’s gonna be a change of PU which is obviously a big thing for the team.”
—Pierre Gasly, Alpine driver
Testing the new concepts on the simulator revealed a vastly different car compared to the current generation, demonstrating the technical challenges ahead. Gasly also noted significant improvements within the team environment since his arrival:
I can see that the staff and the experience and the processes we are putting in place at the factory are much better than when I joined in 2023, so there is everything to bring that optimism into the team and being aware that and being aware that clearly there is that huge opportunity that we must seize from next year on.
—Pierre Gasly, Alpine driver
Franco Colapinto Highlights Factory Efforts and Team Leadership
Fellow Alpine driver Franco Colapinto confirmed the intensive work underway at Alpine’s Enstone factory to prepare the new car required by the 2026 regulation changes—covering both chassis and power unit innovations. Colapinto praised Flavio Briatore’s leadership, especially following the unexpected departure of team principal Olives Oakes earlier this month.
When asked whether Alpine’s objectives are realistic given the uncertainties of next year, Colapinto responded with cautious optimism:
Yeah, I think [so]. No one really knows [what will happen next year].
—Franco Colapinto, Alpine driver
He acknowledged the difficulty in predicting team performance amidst new cars and regulations but was confident in the hard work being done:
But I’m sure we are doing a great job. In the factory, the guys are working super hard to try and focus on the 2026 car. It’s very exciting when something new comes and all that work and all that development starts again. So back in Enstone, it’s gonna be really, really busy and the boys are working really hard to try and get the best quality possible for next year. I think some great change is going on in the team to focus on 2026, and it definitely gonna be a step forward.
—Franco Colapinto, Alpine driver
Colapinto also highlighted the team’s ambitions beyond development:
Hopefully fighting for podiums, as Flavio said. He is driving the team forward very well and yeah, just focusing on the right areas.
—Franco Colapinto, Alpine driver
Looking Ahead: The Significance of Alpine’s 2026 Challenge
The 2026 Formula 1 regulations represent a crucial turning point for Alpine amid its comprehensive team reorganization and technical partnerships. With experienced leadership from Flavio Briatore, renewed engineering processes at the Enstone factory, and committed drivers like Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto, Alpine is positioning itself to capitalize on the upcoming regulatory reset.
This strategic redirection aims to accelerate Alpine’s rise up the grid and challenge the dominance of longstanding top teams. If the team can effectively harness these changes, the 2026 season may mark the start of a new era of competitiveness and podium contention for the French outfit, laying the groundwork for potential championship success by 2027.
