Overview
- Sporting director Steve Nielsen says the 2026 chassis is already built, with the car expected to be in one piece by mid-December and a crash test due within two to three weeks.
- Alpine plans a first fire-up of its Mercedes power unit in December and a shakedown before the collective pre-season running on January 26–30 at Barcelona in a notably short winter.
- The team halted 2025 development early, is set to finish last in the constructors’ standings, and has dedicated factory capacity to producing only 2026 components.
- Franco Colapinto is confirmed for 2026 and has voiced optimism about the reset after a difficult 2025, highlighting his chance to contribute to the new car’s development.
- Sergio ‘Checo’ Pérez tested at Imola and calls Cadillac his “final big project” for 2026, as pundit Adrián Puente predicts the new Ferrari-powered entrant could start at the back in Australia.