Alpine F1 Team was launched in 2021 as the successor to Renault F1 Team, with the aim of promoting the French brand globally. The team heads into the 2026 season with Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto as its driver line-up, hoping to take advantage of the new regulations.

A lot changes for Alpine in 2026. Not only will the team have to deal with a completely new technical regulation set, it will also begin a new partnership with Mercedes. Alpine will no longer use engines from parent company Renault. With the new regulations, a strong power unit could be a major advantage, making this a crucial decision for the team.

The 2025 season was largely one to forget for Alpine. Pierre Gasly occasionally showed strong pace and scored points on multiple occasions, but the overall performance was lacking. Jack Doohan failed to finish in the top ten in the opening six races and was eventually replaced by Franco Colapinto. The Argentine also failed to score points, leaving Alpine at the bottom of the constructors’ championship.

There was also a change in leadership during the season, as Oliver Oakes stepped down as team principal. Flavio Briatore took over his responsibilities.

Renault was long known for its traditional yellow cars, but since the rebranding, that colour has become less dominant. The 1.5-litre Renault-Gordini V6 turbo engine was once considered highly advanced, but reliability issues were already present. Due to the yellow colour and frequent smoke, the car earned the nickname “the yellow teapot,” an image that has lingered over the team.

With the arrival of Alain Prost in 1981, results began to improve. Renault started winning races and securing podiums but finished second in the constructors’ championship in 1983. It was also Prost’s final year with the team, marked by internal tensions. Prost openly criticised the team’s performance, leading to a breakdown in the relationship and his departure. In 1984, he returned to the grid with McLaren alongside Niki Lauda.

Unlike smaller teams that disappeared due to financial struggles, Renault itself withdrew from Formula 1 multiple times due to budget cuts. In 1986, the company attempted to remain in the sport as an engine supplier only, but fully exited at the end of that year. The engines returned three years later, but Renault did not return as a full team until 2000.

That year, Renault acquired Benetton and rebranded it as Benetton Renault Sport before fully restoring the Renault F1 Team name. Results initially lagged behind previous successes, but progress followed.

Fernando Alonso joined Renault in 2003 and quickly transformed the team’s fortunes. Renault finished fourth that year and third in 2004. In 2005 and 2006, Alonso secured both the drivers’ and constructors’ championships.

Alonso left for McLaren but later returned. However, Renault never matched its previous success again. In 2008, the team became embroiled in the ‘Crashgate’ scandal after Nelson Piquet Jr. deliberately crashed in Singapore to benefit Alonso. Team principal Flavio Briatore left, and the team’s future in F1 was uncertain.

Following the scandal, performance declined, sponsors left, and shares were sold. Eventually, Renault withdrew as a full team and remained only as an engine supplier.

After years of inconsistency, Renault rebranded to Alpine in 2021 to strengthen its sporting identity. The team started strongly, with Esteban Ocon winning the Hungarian Grand Prix in 2021, followed by several solid seasons. However, inconsistent performance and internal challenges prevented Alpine from becoming a consistent front-runner.

Red Bull Racing used Renault power units from 2007 to 2018, enjoying major success between 2010 and 2013 with four consecutive titles for Sebastian Vettel. Max Verstappen claimed his first Formula 1 victory in 2016 with a Renault-powered car. The partnership ended after 2018 due to reliability concerns, with Honda becoming Red Bull’s engine supplier.

Renault lost all its customer teams in Formula 1. Red Bull switched to Honda in 2019, while McLaren moved to Mercedes engines after 2020. This left Alpine as the sole Renault-powered team between 2021 and 2025. In 2024, it was confirmed that Renault would stop supplying engines, with Alpine switching to Mercedes power from 2026.

Alpine experienced multiple changes in 2025. Oliver Oakes stepped down as team principal, with Flavio Briatore taking over. Shortly after, rookie Jack Doohan was replaced by Franco Colapinto.

As part of a collaboration between LEGO and Formula 1, scale models of the Alpine F1 car are available. These are based on the 2024 car but remain on sale in 2026.

Stay up to date with the latest Alpine F1 Team news and updates on Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto on GPblog.