Alpine showcase new A526 in glitzy Barcelona launch

Thomas Maher 23 Jan 2026 12:02 PM

Alpine's A526 has been revealed.

Alpine has shown off its new A526, which was launched in a glitzy event on a cruise ship in Barcelona on Friday.

The 2026 Alpine F1 car has been revealed, with the Enstone-based squad becoming a customer team this year following the cessation of the Renault F1 power unit programme last year.

Alpine A526 is revealed

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Following on from Ferrari’s launch of the new SF-26 earlier on Friday morning, Alpine has become the most recent team to reveal its new car for the F1 2026 season.

Holding its launch event on an MSC cruise ship – MSC being a prominent sponsor of the team – Alpine revealed the A526 just days after its shakedown via a filming day at Silverstone earlier this week.

After a tumultuous year for Alpine, in which another team leadership change occurred as the team principal who started the year, Oli Oakes, resigned after the Miami Grand Prix, 2026 marks the start of a whole new dynamic for the squad.

Overseen by Flavio Briatore, executive advisor to Renault CEO Francois Provost, the Italian is now backed up by the team’s new managing director, Steve Nielsen, to help lead the team into a new rules cycle.

But, unlike in previous years, Alpine is no longer a fully autonomous constructor, with the Renault Group having opted against continuing to make power units for its factory F1 team.

Starting in 2026, Alpine thus becomes a customer team and will switch to Mercedes power for this new chapter.

Alpine’s A526 has been revealed.

The A526 marks a complete reset for Alpine, with the squad having swapped over its development focus early in 2025 in order to maximise resources for the new regulations.

“The last year has been truly extraordinary in Formula One terms,” said Executive Technical Director, David Sanchez.

“With such big changes in the regulations, this project has been a very interesting challenge and one we have really given our all towards.

“Ultimately, the car is shorter and narrower than in recent years, with some aerodynamic freedom to explore.

“We have the return of active aero, where we have the ability to have movable front and rear wings, something the vast majority of the drivers on the grid will not have experienced before. The reduction in downforce and drag is expected to bring better racing, which I am sure all fans will be intrigued to watch.

“Then, of course, we have more electric power in the power units since we have partnered with Mercedes-AMG for 2026. It has been fantastic to work closely with our new colleagues from Brixworth in recent months and weeks, as we all work together to understand how best to maximise the package.

“In addition to the power unit challenge and the new 100% sustainable fuels, we will also have some new terminology for us to get used to with overtake mode, boost mode and recharge, all set to enter our vocabulary this year.

“All of us at Enstone look forward to getting started in Barcelona next week, where we have much to learn and understand on the A526.”

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Alpine