Briatore wants race wins for Alpine in 2026, title bid in 2027
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Alpine executive advisor Flavio Briatore has laid out the French outfit's objectives in Formula 1 for the next three seasons, targeting top six finishes next year, podiums and race wins in 2026, and a bold run at the world title in 2027.
Alpine equaled this season the sixth-place classification it achieved in 2023 in F1's Constructors' standings, but only scored 65 points, or approximately half the tally it generated last year.
The team suffered a painful entry into its 2024 campaign, scoring only two top-ten finishes in the opening eight rounds of the championship.
However, significant improvements in the back half of the season saw Alpine surge to sixth in the standings.
The team's most notable moment came in the Brazilian Grand Prix, where a shock double-podium finish in wet conditions hinted at untapped potential. Pierre Gasly added to that momentum with a fifth-place result in Qatar and seventh in Abu Dhabi.
Briatore attributed Alpine's late form to a strategic upgrade implemented on the team's A524 in Austin, a development package initially tailored for long term gains.
"We have taken a big step forward in our development and improved to the same level as Haas and Toro Rosso [RB]," he told Auto Motor und Sport.
"But that was already a step for 2025. It wouldn't have been worth the effort for a few races in 2024.
"We had actually already ticked off that year. That's why I told the engineers: we'll only bring the upgrade if it will help us next year."
©Alpine
Looking ahead, Briatore expressed confidence in Alpine's ability to build on its late-season momentum and capitalize on the regulation changes in 2026.
But before the team can fully embrace its 2026 and 2027 aspirations, 2025 will serve as a critical steppingstone.
Th Italian expects consistent top-six finishes, with occasional podiums, as the team continues refining its car and operations.
"Alpine must always be in the top six next year," Briatore insisted.
"Maybe a podium every now and then. We have to improve our car to achieve this. That should be possible. Aerodynamically, we have much more room for manoeuvre than Ferrari or McLaren.
"In 2026, we want to be on the podium in 50 per cent of all races. Then you automatically win one or another race. In 2027, we must be able to compete for the title."
Briatore's ambitious timeline also rests on key operational changes, including Alpine's decision to ditch its Renault power unit and become a Mercedes customer starting in 2026.
He described this controversial move as a necessary step for a team aiming for sustained success.
"With Luca [De Meo, Renault CEO], I now have the opportunity to do everything we want to do in the next three to five years," he explained.
"The first step was to get rid of our own engine. That means we're saying goodbye to something that only costs us money but brings us nothing.
"Mercedes will give us the best engine and the best gearbox in the business in 2026.
"If you want to win, 80 to 90 per cent of your components have to be the best. You don't need handicaps.
"In 2002, Renault had a very good engine. It was so good that we were even able to sell it to Red Bull later on. And the gearbox? It can't win you any races, it can only lose you some."
Briatore compared Alpine's current position to Renault's state in 2002, just before the team's rise to double world championships in 2005 and 2006. But he argued that Alpine is in a far stronger position now.
"It is comparable to 2002," he said. "But we are in a better position with Alpine than we were with Renault back then. The team was in total disarray in 2002. Everyone was arguing with everyone else."
With a clear roadmap and targets in place, Alpine's leadership is betting big on its ability to transform from midfield contenders to championship hopefuls.
The 2026 regulation changes and a renewed focus on long-term gains provide a potential launchpad for success, but whether the plan will bear fruit remains to be seen.
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