Briatore: Alpine primed for F1 success as of 2026
Flavio Briatore, Alpine executive advisor. Photo: RacePictures
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Flavio Briatore, Alpine F1's executive advisor states the French team "will no longer have an excuse" that prevents them from competing for the top prizes as of next year.
Flavio Briatore look son from the Alpine garage in the F1 paddock. Photo: RacePictures.
"In 2026, we will have an engine like the others, it may be better, or not, but we will no longer have an excuse like now."- Flavio Briatore
In 2026 Alpine will drop their own Renault power units to don on Mercedes engines, with which Briatore believes the French team will have everything it will need to succeed.
Nevertheless, it looks like a long climb up for the Enstone-based outfit if this season's performance is anything to go by. Alpine currently sits last in the Constructors' standings, 24 points adrift Haas ahead in P9.
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"Honestly, we thought we would be much better this year," Briatore told AFP. "The engine we have, really it's a big handicap. Especially now that the 20 cars are within a second. With two tenths less, you can end up from 6th to 17th place," Briatore added alluding to the close competitiveness that has characterised the fight in the midfield this season.
Alpine, Briatore states, are not propperly equipped to take on the development of the 2025 car as well as next year's car. Come 2026, though, the Italian executive believes the time for excuses is over.
"Alpine does not have the capacity to develop the 2025 car and make the new car for 2026. At some point, you have to make choices."
"In 2026, we will have an engine like the others, it may be better, or not, but we will no longer have an excuse like now with the engine,"
According to Briatore, the team's outlook on the 2026 season is positive. "The wind tunnel and the engineers are working well. We have everything to do it and we have to do it," he concluded.
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Pierre Gasly is confident about Alpine's project, Photo: Race Pictures
Alpine outlines 2026 as their first real step to the top in F1
The French team has recently secured Pierre Gasly with a long term agreement, and GPblog understands that there are currently three young drivers on its list to take over their second cockpit for next year, with Franco Colapinto, who's likely to finish out the current season, has also emerged as the main candidate to hold the drive come 2026.
Next year, F1 will introduce new regulations, which are expected to reshuffle the current pecking order. Power units are expected to play a significant role in etching out the performance ranking and Mercedes are rumoured to be ahead of all other manufacturers.
Should this be true, then Briatore's statements are right, and Alpine needs to start delivering on the potential their staff, facilities and drivers are capable of achieving.
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