Alpine gets "confidence boost" from reliable…

The Alpine Formula 1 team says its smooth shakedown in Silverstone on Wednesday was a "good confidence boost" as it starts its stint as a Mercedes customer team.

Having been lagging behind other power units for some time, Alpine owner Renault abandoned its works F1 engine programme in Viry-Chatillon for F1's new 2026 regulations era in favour of becoming a Mercedes customer outfit, joining world champions McLaren and Williams.

Alpine's 2026 challenger, the A526, debuted with its Mercedes power unit and gearbox at a glacial and rainy filming day in Silverstone on Wednesday with Pierre Gasly completing 140 out of a possible 200 kilometres, a run plan only curtailed to find a break in the weather.

Subsequently, works team Mercedes used up its full 200km allowance during a filming day later in the week, offering premature yet encouraging signs of a reliable start for Mercedes High Performance Powertrains. It is also a shot in the arm for the Enstone-based Alpine team that finished last in the 2025 championship and focused all its efforts on 2026 early on.

When asked at Alpine's 2026 launch in Barcelona how encouraging it was for Alpine to get off to a trouble-free start, technical director David Sanchez said: "I think we have nine days of testing, so a lot will happen through nine days. But out of the box, being able to clock laps and not stopping is a good confidence boost so that you can at least turn up in Barcelona and get on with the work.

"We wanted to do the 200km. When we started the day on Wednesday, we went straight away on a five or six lap run and the car ran well. Then we stopped, waiting for the weather to move, it never really went away. So when it came mid-afternoon, we sent Pierre out, and just kept on track, and then just kept lapping and lapping. And we just stopped because he told us it was getting dark. Getting to the 200km would have been pretty easy.

Alpine launched its 2026 A526 in Barcelona on board of the MSC World Europa cruise ship. (Photo by: Alpine)

"It just gives a bit of confidence. You can go to Barcelona and out of the box, start clocking a few laps."

Alpine executive advisor Flavio Briatore said the team's radio silence during the Silverstone runs was "good news".

"For the first time in my long time in Formula 1, the car goes out, comes back, goes out and never comes back. Normally we have the oil refilled, the temperatures... and everybody on the radio was quiet. This was the good news. Nobody was talking. We did under 150km because we had aquaplaning. It made no sense to risk the car."

Gasly also praised his team for getting early running in on the day Williams announced it would be sitting out the entirety of next week's Barcelona shakedown due to delays. "The whole point of the test was to get the car out on track, which was done successfully," the Frenchman added.

"Honestly, big credit to the guys because they've put a huge amount of work into making sure we'll get the car in one piece and the whole package together and get it out on track. I think we're all aware of how difficult it is looking at other teams as well. It was very valuable running."