Alpine F1 is currently in shambles. Former team principal Oliver Oakes has left. His tenure was less than a year. Alpine has had four team principals in five years.

Franco Colapinto makes his Alpine debut at Imola, replacing Jack Doohan. Colapinto’s deal only runs for five races. It’s rumored that reserve driver Paul Aron will also get seat time. Aron came to the team with Oakes after their tenure at HITECH. With Oakes gone, Aron’s standing in the team can’t be determined. The rash moves are destroying the confidence of young drivers. 

Alpine is a work team that lacks patience. This is evident in the high turnover and design flaws of the last few seasons. In 2026, they will forego Renault engines for Mercedes, taking them out of the works team category. 

Alpine must get in order quickly, or it will fall behind in the new regulations. You can see a plan for each F1 team going into 2026, but Alpine doesn’t appear to have one. 

Image Credit: BWT Alpine F1 Team