The countdown to the 2026 Formula 1 season has Alpine as one of the main focuses of the paddock. The French team moved quickly in the development of its new car and opted for the Mercedes engine, renowned for its reliability in recent tests.
With the technical base on track, the magnifying glass now rests on its pilots.In this context, the team leader, Steve Nielsen, came out to publicly support Franco Colapinto and highlighted his growth process within the category.
“Franco is a talent, and I think maybe he's a 'slow cooker' driver, and maybe he's learning at a different pace than the others, but last year we saw him do some good races, particularly compared to Pierre,” he said after the preseason, referring to internal parity with his teammate.
We're already seeing him, and if we've given him a better car, which I'm sure we've done, then we'll see the best of him.”
Optimism within the team is not limited to individual performance. Part of the trust lies in the improvements introduced in the brand new A526. “It's no secret that last year's car had some problems and we've solved a couple of them, which is fantastic,” explained the manager
.As he explained, the technical changes also made it easier to work on the track: "Drivers can take a lot more shortcuts and don't complain about driving, but I suppose that's because we're no longer in the era of ground effect, so some major obstacles have been solved.”
With a renewed car and the explicit support of driving, Colapinto faces a season that could mark a turning point in his career. At Alpine, they trust that Argentinian talent and natural evolution will end up consolidating him as a key player in the ambitious
project for 2026.The full schedule for the first Grand Prix of the season
The new Formula 1 season kicks off its engines this weekend with the Australian Grand Prix. The action will take place between Thursday 5 and Sunday 8 March at the Albert Park circuit in Melbourne.
Thursday 5
