Alpine is going through its most difficult season in Formula 1. The results on track are the reflection of a strategic decision made in the middle of the year, when the French team decided to halt the development of the A525 and focus all its resources on the 2026 car.
Everything began with an unexpected resolution from the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA), which decided to regulate flexible front wings, a key component in the cars' aerodynamics. This regulatory change, introduced through technical directive TD018 during the Spanish Grand Prix, forced several teams to rethink their work, but for Alpine the impact was devastating.
"In order to respond optimally, we would have had to rebuild the entire car. Aerodynamically, everything depends on the front wing," explained Flavio Briatore, team advisor, in a conversation with Auto Motor und Sport. According to the Italian executive, the change forced them to "write off" the season and start from scratch with the design of the new model.
Briatore cree que debían reconstruir el auto entero por la normativa
Since the Barcelona race, on June 1, the car has not received any further updates. "The 2025 model was only tested once more in the wind tunnel in March. Since then, the competition has kept evolving and we have not," the German outlet detailed.
The main problem lies in the front axle, which is extremely sensitive to bumps and curbs, which forces drivers Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto to avoid aggressive areas of the circuit in order not to lose control. "Faced with this situation, Alpine decided to bring a single upgrade for the A525 and focus entirely on the 2026 model," they stated.
Briatore himself was blunt in justifying the decision: "No one could guarantee me that we would finish sixth again if we built a new car. Maybe we would have fought for eighth or tenth place. So we asked ourselves if that effort was worth it compared to sacrificing the 2026 project."
Alpine sacrificó 2025 para centrarse de lleno en 2026
The objective is clear: 2026 will mark a complete change in technical regulations and engine suppliers, and Alpine will have a Mercedes power unit. "From our perspective, the most logical thing was to work at full speed with a view to 2026," Briatore concluded.
Until then, there are four races left (Brazil, Las Vegas, Qatar, and Abu Dhabi) in which any points will be the result of luck or rivals' mistakes, rather than a true competitive leap. Alpine has already turned the page, and its bet is not on the present, but on the future.
