Alpine has finally shed its reputation as F1’s most chaotic team, transforming into a stable midfield contender by mid-2026. Managing Director Steve Nielsen attributes the turnaround to bringing "common sense" and stability after years of high turnover in leadership and technical staff. Nielsen, who joined in September 2025, focused on optimizing existing strengths rather than a revolution.
A crucial move was Flavio Briatore's return in June 2024. Briatore, described as "genius and crazy," was instrumental in convincing Renault to abandon its underperforming engine program. Switching to Mercedes power units for 2026 has paid off, with Alpine scoring nearly three times the points in seven races compared to their entire 2025 season. Briatore also secured a significant title sponsorship deal with Gucci for 2027. While performance is vastly improved, Nielsen cautions against complacency, noting the team is still a second a lap behind other Mercedes-powered rivals. The immediate challenge for Alpine is to close that significant gap to their engine partners, proving their newfound stability can translate to top-tier performance.
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