After a tough F1 2025 campaign, spirits remain high at Alpine with both Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto optimistic of improved fortunes.
Alpine finished last in the Constructors’ Championship last season, with Colapinto and the man he replaced, Jack Doohan, the only two drivers who failed to score throughout the 24-race season.
Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto optimistic ahead of F1 2026
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New regulations and changes at Enstone have instilled a degree of optimism ahead of the coming season.
While F1 2025 was difficult, in many ways it freed Alpine to focus on the incoming regulations set, which sees sweeping changes to both chassis and power unit rules.
As part of that, Alpine has ceased production of its own engines and will take on a customer supply from Mercedes.
Development resources were also channelled to the 2026 project early, resigning the team to a long season at the wrong end of the field in 2025.
“I’ve just tried to really take every single weekend one after another, without really having too many expectations,” Gasly said of the F1 2025 campaign.
“What has helped me a lot is, it was a very long tunnel the whole season, but knowing what we’re doing for 2026 I’ve always had that sort of light.
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“I could always see the light at the end of the tunnel, which sort of helped me to get through that year.
“It’s the season I’ve scored the least number of points in F1.
“I feel, personally, I’ve put a strong performance out there, so it doesn’t really bring any satisfaction from it.
“I’m going be very happy to move away from that year.”
Colapinto has been retained alongside Gasly, offering stability on the driving front.
The Argentinian holds a similar view, enthused by the potential offered by the coming campaign.
“Next year’s car is going to be better than this year’s,” Colapinto said in the latter stages of F1 2025.
“It’s very, I think, they are all very positive in terms of the base and the performance of next year, starting the simulations, but until you see it on track it’s difficult to say.
“I’m sure it’s going to be better than this year’s!”
Gasly added of the trials of 2025, and the decision to focus on 2026 early: “If it gives me better results next year, I literally do not care about this season—and it will be all worth it.
“Because the reality is what we could have fought for this year is still not good enough for us.
“And these couple of weeks or months can potentially give us a head start on some other teams and bring much better success, which is what we are seeking, ultimately.
“So, yeah, fully backing the team in what we did. It’s a bit drastic, but sometimes to achieve greatness, you’ve got to make tough choices.”
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