Pierre Gasly is aiming high: Alpine is targeting the top tier after the summer

The tone has shifted at Alpine. And on the track, too. After a much stronger start to the 2026 season than expected, Pierre Gasly is no longer hiding his ambitions: to bring the team closer to the front-runners… as early as this year.

Just a few months ago, Alpine was bringing up the rear in the championship. In 2025, only 22 points in 24 races: the kind of record we'd rather forget.

But the tide has turned. With 15 points already scored in three races in 2026, the A526 is showing a much more competitive side. Not quite a benchmark yet, but clearly a solid foundation.

And above all, it has regained consistency, regardless of the type of track.

Pierre Gasly isn't getting carried away, though. The Frenchman knows there's still a long way to go before catching up to Ferrari or McLaren. “I don't think that will happen in the space of a month.” But the goal is set.

“I'd like us to be a slightly bigger player in that group with McLaren and Ferrari after the summer break.”

Ambitious? Yes. Unrealistic? Not necessarily, if you listen to the French driver.

Suzuka, revealing the gaps

At the Japanese Grand Prix, Gasly held his ground against Max Verstappen to maintain his position. A solid defense, but one that doesn't hide the essential fact: the gap to the leaders remains very real.

“Seven seconds over 28 laps amounts to three-quarters of a tenth, and I think that's where we need to focus.”

Put that way, it's “only” a few tenths. In F1, that's a world of difference.

The diagnosis is clear: the A526 is still too tricky to handle in the race. “The car was a bit temperamental; I wasn't as comfortable as I was in qualifying. I struggled a bit at high speeds, which is one of our limitations right now.”

In other words: the potential is there, but it's hard to extract over the course of a stint. And that's precisely where the top teams make the difference.

A major advantage… already sorted

Good news for Alpine: the engine issue is no longer a concern. With a Mercedes power unit in the rear, the team has a benchmark in the field.

“We know we don't have to worry about the powertrain.”

The focus is therefore elsewhere: aerodynamics, balance, and performance. “We just need to focus on our chassis. I think we have a good foundation; we just need to improve it.”

A versatile car, at last

Another encouraging sign: the car seems comfortable everywhere.

Top 10 in Australia, solid in China, consistent at Suzuka… Alpine is ticking boxes it left blank last year. “The car seems to perform well on all types of circuits.”

Enough to give Enstone some breathing room—and, above all, confidence.

The weeks leading up to Miami won't be a vacation. They're more like a strategic home stretch to capitalize on this start to the season. And if this trajectory holds, the second half of the season could take on a whole new dimension. Anything is possible…