Alpine’s 2026 Formula 1® season has seen notable progress compared to the previous year, with the team nearly tripling their points tally. However, recent races have highlighted some challenges as Alpine’s momentum has slowed, and their midfield rivals, Racing Bulls, have moved ahead in the Constructors’ Championship battle.
So far this season, Pierre Gasly has been Alpine’s standout performer, contributing 42 of the team’s 61 points. His best result came at the Monaco Grand Prix, where he secured a podium finish. Initially demoted due to penalties, Gasly’s third place was reinstated after a successful Right of Review. Meanwhile, teammate Franco Colapinto has shown improvement, achieving a career-best sixth place in Canada, but he remains behind Gasly in both qualifying and race finishes, with Gasly leading 9-2 in qualifying and 7-4 in races.
Alpine’s race pace has generally been stronger than their qualifying performance, with Gasly’s recovery drive from 14th to 7th in Barcelona standing out. Despite these positives, the team has faced setbacks, including scoreless weekends in Austria and Hungary. A significant incident occurred in Miami when Gasly collided with Racing Bulls’ Liam Lawson, resulting in Gasly’s car flipping, though he was unharmed.
Racing Bulls have overtaken Alpine in the midfield fight, holding a six-point lead after the Hungarian Grand Prix and claiming fifth place in the Constructors’ Championship. Audi has also appeared occasionally as a midfield contender, adding to the competitive environment. Alpine’s focus is on regaining their position by unlocking more pace and helping Colapinto to match Gasly’s consistency.
The team is expected to bring updates and upgrades following the summer break, aiming to address the recent decline in performance. Alpine’s ability to respond to these challenges will be key to their efforts to reclaim midfield supremacy in the remainder of the 2026 season.
Overall, Alpine’s campaign reflects clear progress from 2025 but also underlines the competitive nature of the midfield battle in Formula 1®. The performances of Gasly and Colapinto, along with the team’s strategic development, will shape their trajectory as the season continues.