Alpine’s Executive Advisor: “Nothing from last year will remain this season. That’s why we’ve put development on hold for 2025”

“The changes coming in 2026 are dramatic.” These are the words of someone who knows Formula 1 inside out: Flavio Briatore, who has returned to an operational role in the sport since 2024 as Alpine’s Executive Advisor. On the sidelines of the French team’s car launch for the upcoming season in Barcelona, the former Benetton team principal highlighted the impact of the regulatory changes set to take effect in 2026: “Nothing from last year will remain this season. For this reason, we’ve put development on hold for 2025—a year in which, even if we improved, we’d be penalized by the engine regulations—and are focusing entirely on the next championship.” After some difficult years, there’s now a sense of confidence within the French team, as they’ve been able to prepare thoroughly for this regulatory revolution: “We had a perfect shakedown. We immediately covered 150 kilometers, despite the bad weather. We’re confident: every department head was able to do what they wanted; no one told me they needed more time. So either we have a competitive car, or we all have to go home.” The bar is set high, as is customary with Briatore at the helm.

The 2026 regulations will also bring major changes in terms of driving, with drivers facing several new challenges, including managing the electrical aspects of the Power Unit and active aerodynamics. Drivers will therefore not only have to be fast, but also patient and skilled at managing the various elements of the car that will be under their control, as Briatore himself confirms: “This year, the car will feel different to drive. Drivers will have to think a lot; the cars are complicated to manage. We need drivers who are fast but also smart, good at reading the situation. In this regard, Pierre (Gasly, ed.) can do well. I think drivers like Alonso or Verstappen have an advantage in this situation. In general, drivers shouldn’t be reckless.”

Mercedes engines—  The changes to the regulations aren’t the only major news for Alpine. Starting next season, in fact, the French team will no longer use in-house engines but will instead fit the Mercedes Power Unit, thus becoming a customer team. The decision to abandon the design and development of its own engines was Briatore’s alone, as he himself confirmed: “The decision to switch to Mercedes engines was 100% mine. At first, De Meo (former CEO of the Renault Group, ed.) was skeptical, but then he changed his mind. I wouldn’t have returned to Formula 1 without the certainty of having an engine on par with the rest of the grid.” And regarding the quality of the Mercedes engines—which have been the subject of much discussion in recent weeks—the Italian manager offered confirmation, expressing confidence: “We have an engine that is perhaps the best on the grid, and this allows us to start from a strong foundation. Having a competitive engine alleviates a lot of the problems we had last season.”
A look back—  With the 2026 regulation change, Formula 1 is entering a new era. For Briatore, however, regardless of regulations and eras, the nature of F1 has remained the same: “It’s always a competition among the world’s best engineers, and it’s always satisfying to be part of it. Perhaps one difference from the past concerns operations. Before, many were team owners or at least held shares in them, whereas now there are managers. Before, it was a bit simpler and faster to make decisions; now the processes are more complicated”