Alpine's 2026 F1 Car Debuts at Silverstone with Mercedes Unit

Alpine's 2026 Formula 1 car made its on-track debut Wednesday at a rain-soaked Silverstone Circuit, marking the team's first outing with a Mercedes power unit and signaling a new chapter after a dismal 2025 season.

Driven by Pierre Gasly, the A526 completed a limited filming day at the British Grand Prix venue, located just 40 kilometers from Alpine's Enstone headquarters. Social media footage captured the car navigating wet conditions through sections like Maggotts and Becketts, displaying a livery closely resembling the previous year's design. The session, restricted to 200 kilometers, allowed the Anglo-French squad to verify basic functionality ahead of official preseason activities. Alpine became the fourth team to run a 2026-specification car, following initial shakedowns by Audi and Cadillac at Barcelona and Silverstone, respectively, and Racing Bulls at Imola the previous day.

The debut held added significance as the first integration of Mercedes engines into an Alpine chassis. The team secured the supply deal after parent company Renault ended its in-house power unit program at the close of 2025, transitioning to customer status. This shift aligns with sweeping...