After years of unfulfilled promises and frequent strategic U-turns, Alpine is banking on the new era of Formula 1 to rediscover stability, identity and genuine top-team ambitions. The Enstone outfit hopes the regulatory reset will be the turning point that finally halts its recent decline.
Except for the turbo-hybrid period — which at least brought a victory — the ground-effect era has unfolded disastrously for Alpine. Following a strong start in 2022 that delivered fourth place in the Constructors’ Championship, the team has drifted down the order and now looks set to finish the current rules cycle at the rear of the midfield.
That said, Alpine has still claimed five podiums during this stretch — some due to fortunate circumstances — and those results have underlined that it remains a constructor with the resources and pedigree of genuine manufacturers like Ferrari and Mercedes. Yet the consistency that separates the contenders from the rest has been missing.
Stability has been the real casualty: a string of team principals and technical directors have come and gone without ever getting the chance to start and complete a coherent long-term project. The situation became so worrying that Renault’s then-CEO Luca de Meo even brought back Flavio Briatore as an executive advisor to help rebuild a winning structure for the future.
Even the switch away from Renault power units to Mercedes engines upset the internal balance, but the move also feeds hope — especially when watching McLaren’s upward trajectory — that Alpine can dream bigger again alongside its drivers. Among them, Pierre Gasly is determined to escape the lowly grid positions that have become Alpine’s norm this season.
Gasly confident as new personnel arrive
The French driver has long been counting down to a reset. With just four races remaining in a difficult campaign, Enstone is eager to close this chapter and start anew. For 2026, every team has a fresh opportunity, and the paddock is already speculating that Mercedes could supply one of the strongest power units. That prospect makes Pierre Gasly cautiously optimistic about the year ahead.
“If you look at the people who are part of our team, for me we have all the ingredients to be successful. Steve Nielsen is great. But at every level I believe we have smart people with lots of experience and a winning background in F1. That’s why I’m optimistic for next season.”
Gasly went on to add: “On paper, looking at our position, we are in a favourable place compared to some rivals. I think the team can make the most of the decisions taken earlier in the season. We just have to keep working hard and keep a low profile.” The former Red Bull driver’s remarks underline a belief that internal change plus the new regulations could translate into progress.
2026: the year of truth for Alpine
As Formula 1 prepares for another technical revolution, Alpine appears intent on turning the page and rebuilding from firmer foundations. The 2026 season will be the acid test: not only to confirm whether a Mercedes power unit can genuinely lift the team up the order, but also to verify whether the internal restructuring — new faces, fresh ideas — produces measurable results on track.
After years of missed targets and frequent course changes, Alpine needs to reforge its identity and regain stability. Pierre Gasly embodies the determination and ambition that the team hopes will symbolise its long-awaited revival.
The future remains uncertain, but the Alpine that is looking forward cannot afford indecision any longer. It is time to rebuild, step by step, a project capable of returning the Enstone squad to the positions it believes it deserves.
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