Overview
- Alpine’s Steve Nielsen says the 2026 car is ahead of schedule, targeting a mid‑December one‑piece build, crash tests within two to three weeks, and a first engine run in December ahead of Jan. 26–30 testing in Barcelona.
- Alpine sits last on 22 points after stopping A525 upgrades midseason, with Nielsen adding rivals’ late‑year updates caught them off guard as the team focuses on a planned switch to Mercedes power in 2026.
- Nielsen acknowledged operational struggles including slow pit stops, citing staff losses to the incoming Cadillac team as a factor that will take time to rebuild around.
- Franco Colapinto is confirmed at Alpine for 2026 and prepares for Las Vegas this week, aiming to close out 2025 on a stronger note alongside points scorer Pierre Gasly.
- Sergio Pérez completed his first official Cadillac test on Nov. 13 at Imola, calling the program his final big project and saying it could surprise, as team boss Graeme Lowdon highlights Pérez’s merit-based signing and some pundits predict a back‑row start in Australia 2026.