The French team finished last season at the bottom of the standings. Naturally, that was not the objective for 2025, but it could have been relatively acceptable—provided there was a strong and convincing response. The goal was to produce a solid new car, ideally supported by what many believe to be the best power unit currently available on the market.
Technical director David Sanchez could reasonably expect that the Mercedes engine would not only deliver more straight-line speed, but also unlock new aerodynamic development opportunities. After years of dealing with a power deficit, during which designers had to constantly invent solutions to compensate for a lack of top speed, this change could mark a turning point.
The new A526 is a car that goes against the current in almost every respect. Were they right in Enstone?
Looking at overall trends, it is truly intriguing that Alpine has opted for a pull-rod front suspension with what appears to be an extra degree of anti-dive geometry. This choice may be closely linked to the design of the sidepods and the floor inlets.
The front end is arguably one of the most original seen so far. In terms of its elements, the front wing is perhaps the closest to Mercedes in concept: a clean design with a narrow nose. However, the wing supports are mounted to the main flap and are extremely slim. This approach made the crash test process more challenging, but it offers a clear weight-saving advantage. It is no coincidence that Alpine is expected to be one of the slightly underweight cars on the grid.
This contrasts with Williams, which—despite having greater experience in working with the Mercedes power unit—has not achieved the same targets, even though it has effectively sacrificed its 2025 development focus.
Alpine, unlike Ferrari, has committed to an uncompromising design
The main plane of the front wing features lateral overhangs and neutral endplates at the angle of attack. This suggests a car that we may see running more “settled” than others, as low as possible to the ground. Some engineers believe that with these new-generation cars, teams will be able to play much more with the balance between understeer and oversteer.
However, rear wings will maintain a relatively reduced chord due to well-known fuel consumption and battery management constraints. It may therefore be logical to pursue downforce through lower ride heights rather than through higher rake—especially at the rear—somewhat reminiscent of the Mercedes W09, W10 and W11 era philosophy.
This approach brings advantages in terms of efficiency, reducing overall drag and improving energy management. Even the cooling louvres on the bodywork appear to be tightly packaged and compact.
As always, the key issue remains platform control—the car’s ability to “ride” the track surface and follow it as precisely as possible through the suspension. Red Bull, both now and in the past, has chosen to stick with a high-rake concept, as have most of the cars seen so far this season. Alpine, by contrast, has deliberately gone in the opposite direction.
Even the rear wing’s movable device operates in reverse compared to the conventional standard. This is now permitted by the regulations and guarantees greater straight-line efficiency. When open, the flap also features subtle detailing on its upper surface, including small vortex generators designed to stabilize airflow.
This solution has not gone unnoticed. Several teams were studying similar concepts, and Ferrari had briefly showcased something even more extreme—a reverse wing configuration—during its development phase.
The Enstone-based team is certainly one to watch. Observers agree that in both Barcelona and Bahrain testing, Alpine demonstrated a car with genuine potential—one that could realistically fight its way back into the top ten in the 2025 Formula 1 season.
Alpine’s technical pivot under David Sanchez suggests a team that has finally stopped trying to fix its past mistakes and has instead started writing a new, aggressive technical playbook. By pairing the class-leading Mercedes power unit with a low-drag, low-rake aerodynamic philosophy, the A526 looks specifically optimized for the energy-management challenges of the 2026 regulations. While the “reverse” rear wing and unconventional front suspension are risks that could lead to a difficult setup window, the potential reward is a car that punches well above its weight on high-speed circuits. If the Enstone engineers have mastered the platform’s ride quality, Alpine could transition from the basement of the standings to the sharp end of the midfield battle almost overnight.
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