Briatore sets high expectations for Alpine as A526 makes debut

Henry Valantine 23 Jan 2026 5:00 PM

Flavio Briatore expects strength from both his drivers this season, as the team has "a good car".

Alpine executive advisor Flavio Briatore has said that, with the team’s line-up and potential in 2026, there is “not an excuse anymore” over performance.

Having finished bottom of the Constructors’ standings in 2025, Alpine moved early to put its efforts into its 2026 machine, which was unveiled aboard a cruise ship in Barcelona on Friday.

Briatore: ‘You expect the best’ from Alpine drivers

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Joined on stage by Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto, the A526 livery was unveiled ahead of the first pre-season shakedown test at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya from Monday.

Colapinto replaced Jack Doohan mid-season, but neither he nor Doohan scored a point in 2025, with Gasly earning 22 come season’s end.

Gasly signed a contract extension with Alpine through to the 2028 season, but Briatore, whose role makes him the de facto team principal, praised the work Colapinto undertook in the off-season.

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That said, he and the team expects to have both drivers competing, and while the team does not know where it stands in the overall pecking order, Briatore added that he expects success from the current line-up.

Asked about what he expects from Alpine’s drivers this year, Briatore said at the team’s launch: “This is a difficult question, but you expect the best.

“This year is not an excuse anymore. We have a brand-new car and we have the same drivers.

“Franco is here. I promise you, he’s done a very good winter, and I hope he is doing much better results and is ready to compete with Pierre.

“We need two drivers. We need two drivers competing in there all the time and for the team, of course.

“Only for growth, we need the performance of the driver. Whatever engineering job is doing after, the final beat is done by the driver.

“Pierre and Franco are friends, working together, working very hard,” he added, before glancing at the two drivers with a smile: “For the moment, you are friends. After two or three races, maybe the friendship is little bit low, or maybe it’s bigger, [it] depends.

“We expect to have two good drivers. We have a good car. We have a super sponsor. So, all the packages together, we just expect [to be] successful.”

Alpine undertook its first permitted filming day at a wet Silverstone earlier this week, with the A526 having already gained its first mileage before pre-season testing.

After a busy week of launches, there is a gap to the next F1 2026 livery unveiling, with Williams being the next team to do so on February 3.

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