The French team is ending its contract this year with the company BWT, the main sponsor since 2022 that gave it its characteristic current color, and a renowned luxury company is emerging as its replacement.
Alpine is experiencing a period of sports growth in 2026, but the focus is already starting to shift towards the future. Amid its sports recovery after a challenging year, the French team is negotiating a key change for the upcoming seasons: the arrival of a new main sponsor.
The contract with BWT, in effect since 2022, will end in late 2026 and everything suggests it will not be renewed. Its departure would also mark the end of the visual identity associated with the pink color that characterized the team in recent years. In this scenario, according to the media GPBlog, the Italian luxury brand Gucci appears as the main candidate to fill that position.
According to the portal, the negotiations would involve a multi-year agreement that would include not only a dominant presence on the car but also a change in the official name of the team starting in 2027. The proposal is said to have been driven by Luca de Meo (former CEO of Renault, the parent company of Alpine, and current CEO of the Kering Group, owner of the Italian brand), and responds to a global strategy linked to its expansion in key markets and the growing influence of Formula 1 as a commercial platform.
A possible design of the Alpine single-seater with Gucci colors (Generated with AI)
From an economic standpoint, the figures being discussed align with current market values. For a mid-field team with potential like the French team, the naming rights can range between 45 and 55 million dollars annually, although some estimates widen the range between 30 and 60 million depending on variables such as contract duration and sports performance.
Beyond the final number, the main sponsor in the top tier represents much more than visibility. The agreement would imply the total integration of the brand into the team's identity: presence in the most visible areas of the car, driver and mechanic apparel, commercial activations, joint campaigns, and access to VIP spaces at the Grand Prix. In this context, the potential arrival of Gucci could also impact the image of drivers like Franco Colapinto and Pierre Gasly, who would become ambassadors of a global brand.
For now, the discussions remain confidential and there is no official confirmation. However, the potential agreement reflects an increasingly marked trend: Formula 1 is no longer just motorsport, but a global showcase where sport, business, and fashion coexist. And in that game, Alpine's next move could redefine its identity.
