Alpine's A526 Roars to Life with Mercedes Power in Key 2026 Milestone
Alpine's 2026 challenger, the A526, has been fired up for the first time, signaling a fresh start with Mercedes power. The milestone offers hope for the team after a winless, last-place 2025 season.
Alpine has taken a significant step towards its 2026 rebuild, successfully firing up its new A526 chassis for the first time at its Enstone factory. The milestone marks the initial integration of the team's car with its new Mercedes power unit, a crucial switch made after abandoning its in-house engine program. This event provides a tangible sign of progress for a team looking to rebound from a dismal 2025 season where it finished last in the Constructors' Championship.
Why it matters:
After a winless 2025 campaign that ended with the team at the bottom of the standings, this fire-up symbolizes a reset for Alpine. The move to become a Mercedes customer is a high-stakes strategic pivot, abandoning a costly and troubled independent power unit project for a proven championship-winning engine. A successful integration is the first critical step in proving this new direction can deliver the performance needed to climb back up the grid in F1's new era.
The details:
- Alpine shared a video of the fire-up, showcasing the factory team's work but strategically avoiding any clear shots of the A526's design ahead of its official launch.
- The car is powered by a Mercedes unit, marking the end of Alpine's ambitious but ultimately unsuccessful attempt to build its own engine for the new 2026 regulations.
- The team will officially unveil the A526 on January 23rd, sharing the launch date with Ferrari and Haas.
- Driver Pierre Gasly previously expressed optimism for 2026, stating that knowledge of the team's aggressive new project provided a 'light at the end of the tunnel' during a difficult 2025 season.
What's next:
All eyes will be on the official launch of the A526 on January 23rd, where the team will finally reveal its 2026 contender to the world. The true test, however, will come during pre-season testing, where Alpine will get its first on-track data to see if the new Mercedes-powered package can deliver the performance and reliability needed to challenge the midfield and begin its climb back from the bottom of the grid.