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Alpine’s 2026 A526 Completes Silverstone Shakedown Ahead of Barcelona Cruise-Ship Launch

The early running signals Alpine’s reset with Mercedes power as the team accelerates its 2026 project for the new regulations.

Overview

  • Alpine ran the A526 for the first time on January 21 at a wet Silverstone, with Pierre Gasly driving and Franco Colapinto observing from the garage.
  • To avoid revealing its final look, the car used last season’s livery during the shakedown, followed by a team post highlighting the ‘sound of 2026.’
  • The A526 will be unveiled on January 23 at an MSC-hosted cruise event off Barcelona, with Colapinto and Gasly fronting the presentation.
  • Private running in Barcelona is slated for January 26–30 before official Bahrain tests in February as Alpine joins Audi, Cadillac and Racing Bulls in early on-track preparation.
  • The A526 ushers in Alpine’s switch to Mercedes power units and follows a 2025 development pause, with Colapinto entering his first full F1 pre-season after recent TPC laps and modeling the new team kit.