Alpine’s executive technical director, David Sanchez, has expressed confidence in the team’s long-term strategy, despite a difficult 2025 season that has left them at the bottom of the constructors’ standings. Alpine currently sits tenth with just 19 points, trailing Haas by ten. The team has endured internal changes, including the departure of team principal Oliver Oakes, who was replaced by Steve Nielsen. While Pierre Gasly has managed to score points on four occasions, teammates Jack Doohan and Franco Colapinto have yet to break into the top ten this season, underlining the car’s competitiveness issues.
Sanchez highlighted that the design choices Alpine made this season have not paid off, especially as most teams have converged toward similar design philosophies. This similarity has amplified Alpine’s weaknesses, making it harder for them to stand out or close the performance gap. According to him, the 2025 car struggles to compete, especially due to limitations in certain areas, which are now more exposed than they would have been in a less uniform field.
One of Alpine’s most significant issues lies in the aerodynamic balance of the car. Sanchez explained that, although the car performs reasonably well in high-speed corners, its deficiencies in energy recovery systems create a domino effect on performance. As a result, the team often has to adjust their downforce levels in ways that compromise tire wear and overall race strategy. He used the analogy of downforce being like “paracetamol” – a temporary fix that doesn’t resolve deeper performance flaws.
Given these compounding issues, Alpine has chosen to halt further development on the current A525 chassis. Instead, the team is now fully focused on the 2026 season, which will usher in major technical regulation changes. Sanchez insists this forward-looking approach is already yielding positive results, with development on the 2026 car progressing rapidly. Alpine believes this strategy will give them a competitive advantage when the new regulations come into effect.
Despite falling to last place, Sanchez reaffirmed Alpine’s satisfaction with their decision to prioritize the future. He acknowledged that other teams may be continuing to develop their 2025 cars, but Alpine sees greater long-term benefit in dedicating their resources to the upcoming regulation overhaul. This early head start, they believe, could set the stage for a significant performance leap when the 2026 season begins.
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