21 January 2026The RaceRace report
Alpine's 2026 car debuts at Silverstone while Racing Bulls adds mileage at Imola
Alpine ran its new A526 2026 car at Silverstone under a 200 km “filming‑day” allocation, with Pierre Gasly behind the wheel, and kept the package secret until a Friday launch. Racing Bulls logged a much longer shakedown at Imola after a wet, cold demo run, battling freezing temps and a spin‑induced off‑track excursion.
Alpine’s 2026 A526 made its first on‑track appearance at Silverstone on Wednesday, using a ‘filming‑day’ mileage slot that permits up to 200 km of running. Pierre Gasly piloted the car while the team kept the details under wraps until a Friday launch. Meanwhile, Racing Bulls extended its Imola shakedown, covering far more distance despite cold temperatures and a spin‑induced incident.
Why it matters:
- A debut on a Grand Prix circuit gives Alpine real‑world data on the new aerodynamic package mandated for 2026.
- The 200 km filming day lets the team test the power unit, tyre wear and cooling without breaching testing limits.
- Racing Bulls’ extended mileage in low‑grip conditions provides valuable feedback for its VCARB‑03 concept, which could influence future private‑entry rules.
The details:
- Alpine:
- Run location – Silverstone Circuit, British Grand Prix venue.
- Driver – Pierre Gasly.
- Mileage – up to 200 km under the “filming‑day” allocation.
- Status – car remains covered until the official launch on Friday afternoon.
- Racing Bulls:
- Initial demo – wet, cold Imola run on Tuesday; Arvid Lindblad spun into gravel at the Villeneuve chicane after swapping with Liam Lawson.
- Wednesday ‘filming day’ – freezing early temps delayed the start, but the team logged a long lap sequence that stretched into darkness.
- Outcome – significantly higher mileage than the Tuesday demo, giving engineers more data on chassis balance and tyre behaviour.
What's next:
- Alpine will unveil the A526’s livery, technical specifications and power‑unit partner at its Friday event, then resume a structured testing programme ahead of the 2026 season.
- Racing Bulls is expected to analyse the Imola data, fine‑tune the VCARB‑03’s aerodynamics and possibly schedule another shakedown before deciding on a full‑season entry.
- Both programmes will feed into the broader 2026 regulation rollout, where manufacturers must adapt to new power‑unit and aero constraints.