After scoring points in the first two races of the season in Australia and China, Alpine is preparing to tackle Suzuka, one of the most iconic and demanding circuits on the calendar. The Enstone team arrives at the Japanese Grand Prix with encouraging signs, but also with the awareness that it has not yet fully maximized its potential in the opening 2026 rounds.
Suzuka: a technical challenge under the 2026 regulations
Suzuka is a high-speed track, famous for its unique figure-eight layout and technical sequences such as the Esses in sector one and the Spoon Curve, which demand precision and aerodynamic balance. For 2026, regulatory changes—particularly the reduction of aerodynamic downforce—have altered the approach to the circuit, resulting in lower speeds in certain sections but a different handling dynamic through high-speed corners. In addition, the long straight leading into the 130R will feature a Straight Mode zone.
Gasly and Colapinto: building on early progress
Pierre Gasly arrives in Japan after a solid weekend in China, though with the sense that he could have achieved even more. “It’s nice to leave a race with important points. We were fighting all weekend in China and, obviously, I feel we could have gotten a little more. We learned a lot, and this will help us in the upcoming races. It’s a good sign to leave a positive weekend with a bit of disappointment because it shows we can continue to improve.”
Suzuka holds a special place for Pierre Gasly, as it does for many drivers: “It’s one of my favorite circuits, a special place for me. It’s always great to come back here. Suzuka will be an interesting challenge. I don’t think we need to set specific goals, but we need to approach the race with the right mindset and try to start the weekend well.”
Franco Colapinto is also looking ahead to Japan with confidence, after scoring his first points of the season in China. “I was happy to leave Shanghai with my first point for the team, especially after some great battles on track. I’m really impressed by the improvements we made between Melbourne and Shanghai. We’ve shown what we can do and we want to build on this result.”
Suzuka will be entirely new for him: “It’s my first time racing in Japan, and I can’t wait to experience it. The circuit is iconic, and I’m ready for the challenge.”
Alpine Managing Director Steve Nielsen: “Positive results, but room for improvement”
Alpine’s Managing Director, Steve Nielsen, described the first two races as positive, yet not completely satisfying. “We left China with mixed feelings: on one hand, a positive result with both cars in the points; on the other hand, a bit of disappointment because we didn’t fully maximize the weekend.”
Nielsen emphasized that the team must now work on consolidating its competitiveness: “The real goal is to maintain competitiveness and maximize the full package on track, while continuing development work back at Enstone.” The Japanese Grand Prix represents a new test: “Suzuka is a new challenge, and we want to continue on this positive path, aiming to score more points.”
Alpine appears to be on an upward trajectory, but the “points-with-disappointment” mantra from Gasly suggests that the A526 has a higher ceiling than we’ve seen so far. With the unique aero demands of Suzuka, the team will finally get a clear look at their high-speed efficiency compared to the frontrunners. Based on the content of the first two races, if Alpine can finally “maximize” a weekend, they could be the surprise package of the Japanese Grand Prix.
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