Still, there are many teams – including Williams – expected to start 2026 significantly above 768kg. This should give the A526 an early boost when the season kicks off in Australia.
Beyond this, the quality of engineering personnel at Alpine should not be underestimated. Technical Director David Sanchez spent over a decade at Ferrari.
Sanchez was Chief Engineer and oversaw the development of Ferrari’s 2022 challenger, which set the standard at the beginning of that regulation change. He departed the team shortly after, joining McLaren for a brief spell before settling with Alpine.
Outside of Sanchez, the technical team at Enstone delivered the fourth-fastest car during the last regulation change – despite suffering losses of 3-4 tenths per lap from the Renault engine.
In short, it is understandable why Alpine have received minimal coverage over the winter break. Indeed, it is unlikely they shock the field and overtake the established frontrunners when the 2026 season begins.
Still, in a field with plenty of question marks and unknowns, the French outfit are well positioned and well equipped to push for the top half of the grid.
Main photo: Alpine F1 Media Gallery
