The year 2025 has been a challenging journey for Alpine, a team that decided to fully focus on the 2026 Formula 1 regulations, leaving the A525 car development behind. Despite the setbacks, there are valuable lessons to be learned, and Alpine believes these experiences will pay off in the upcoming season.
Pierre Gasly, the team's driver, had a tough year with limited opportunities to shine, but he grew into a team leader and made the most of rare chances. His performances, including a fourth-place start in Bahrain and a sixth-place finish at Silverstone, showcase his talent and determination. Gasly feels he delivered a strong personal performance, and he's eager to leave the difficulties of 2025 behind.
However, the team's struggles have led to operational improvements. Gasly explains that the team has become more honest and objective in assessing their strengths and weaknesses, which has made them stronger collectively. The poor car performance pushed Alpine to explore operational limits and extract the maximum from their package. They dug deep into small details, refined mappings and setup, and enhanced their debriefing processes, resulting in the best teamwork Gasly has experienced.
Team-mate Franco Colapinto shares this positive outlook, believing that learning from lows will bring good results when the car becomes competitive. He praises the team's resilience and motivation during difficult moments, which he finds impressive.
With a Mercedes engine and the lessons learned, Alpine aims to take a significant step forward in 2026. Gasly, an eight-season F1 veteran, makes it clear that winning is his primary goal, and he's confident that with the right car and engine, he can fight with the best drivers on the grid.
The team's hopes are high as they enter F1's new era, and they believe the operational rewards from their toughest season will contribute to their success. Combined with a new engine, Alpine and Gasly are optimistic about their prospects for 2026, hoping to finally unlock the path to victory.
