Alpine's 2025 Season Ends with Hard-Earned Lessons for 2026
Alpine endured its worst season in decades, finishing last in 2025, but it was a strategic sacrifice. The team halted development early to focus entirely on 2026's new regulations and a crucial switch to Mercedes power, betting everything on a future comeback.
Alpine’s 2025 Formula 1 season was a brutal reality check, finishing last in the constructors' championship with just 22 points. Yet, beneath the disappointing statistics lies a story of strategic sacrifice and a driver pairing that offers genuine promise for the future.
Why it matters:
Finishing at the bottom of the standings is a painful but calculated price Alpine paid to redirect all its resources toward the revolutionary 2026 technical regulations. The team's decision to effectively surrender the 2025 championship fight early could define its competitiveness for years to come, especially with a pivotal switch to Mercedes power units.
The details:
- Pierre Gasly was the team's unquestioned star, scoring all 22 of Alpine's championship points. His finest moment was a bold, wet-weather gamble at Silverstone that secured a sixth-place finish.
- Despite the uncompetitive A525 car, Gasly reached Q3 on 11 occasions, showcasing exceptional qualifying speed that often flattered the car's true performance.
- Rookie Franco Colapinto, who replaced Jack Doohan after six rounds, failed to score a point but showed flashes of promise, with an 11th-place finish in Zandvoort being his best result.
- The head-to-head statistics reflected the experience gap, with Gasly dominating Colapinto 13-5 in qualifying and 11-7 in races where both finished.
The big picture:
Alpine's season was defined by a long-term gamble. The team ceased development on its 2025 car early to pour every resource into the 2026 project, which features the most significant technical overhaul in recent F1 history. This includes the switch from underperforming Renault works engines to customer Mercedes power units—a move aimed at achieving competitive parity. Flavio Briatore's return as a consultant has added a sharp focus on this long-term rebuild.
What's next:
The foundation for a comeback is being laid. The driver lineup of Gasly and Colapinto is secured for the start of the 2026 regulations cycle, with Gasly committed beyond that. Technical director David Sanchez faces the challenge of maximizing an expanded pre-season testing program for the new chassis and engine. The A526, set for launch on January 23, will be the first public indicator of whether Alpine's painful 2025 sacrifice will pay off.