Alpine staff have been disappointed by their lack of ‘grade A treatment’ from Mercedes engineers

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The 2026 F1 season is Alpine’s first as an engine customer instead of being a works-integrated team, and F1 expert Jolyon Palmer has revealed the frustrations of Enstone’s engineers over their lack of ‘grade A treatment’ from Mercedes.

While Mercedes have seemingly emerged with the most dominant power unit on the grid, it has been a frustrating few months for the engineers of their customer teams of Alpine, McLaren and Williams.

Both McLaren and Williams have been very vocal about their frustrations with Mercedes’ lack of guidance regarding the new engines, with Carlos Sainz highlighting how engineers in Grove are still searching for answers on how to extract the maximum potential from them.

However, Ralf Schumacher is under the impression that McLaren’s qualm with Mercedes is simply a distraction tactic to avert eyes away from the difficult start to the season that the Woking-based outfit endured.

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To put things into perspective, George Russell led a Mercedes one-two at the season-opener in Australia, while Lando Norris (P5) and Pierre Gasly (P10) were the only drivers from the German constructor’s three customer teams to register a points-scoring finish.

While Alpine haven’t been quite as vocal as their counterparts in the public eye, former F1 driver Jolyon Palmer has revealed that engineers from the French constructor certainly aren’t too happy either.

• READ MORE: Alpine chief stunned by the ‘massive’ aspect they had ‘not seen’ before Mercedes F1 engine switch

Jolyon Palmer reveals Alpine frustrations with integrating the Mercedes power unit

In a recent episode of the F1 Nation podcast, Palmer and host Tom Clarkson were discussing the frustrations that McLaren and Williams personnel had spoken about during various interviews over the race weekend in Australia.

Clarkson theorised on whether Mercedes’ attitude towards their customer teams would be different if McLaren hadn’t been so successful over the last two years.

“If you’re McLaren, this is the problem,” Palmer replied. “This is why being a customer in a new set of regulations, especially on the power unit, is a hindrance. So does it justify Aston Martin going to Honda? Maybe, if Honda can one day be really competitive.

“But then you think, if you’re Williams and you’re Alpine, you’re thinking, ‘Guys, come on, please give us a chance here. We won’t beat you, I promise. But just let us try and get up into Q3.’ And they’re carrying the cost of that as well.

Alpine will hope to end their droughts in F1 now they have a Mercedes engine, but will they?

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“I was speaking to the guys at Alpine over the winter, and they kept alluding to the fact that the switch to Mercedes hasn’t been all it’s cracked up to be, and they thought it would be better.

“We’re all saying Mercedes seems to have the best engine, and they’re like, ‘Yeah, but the ways of working is tricky.’

“Now it seems exactly what they’ve been alluding to the whole time. They’re not getting quite the grade A treatment.”

• READ MORE: Alpine have ‘considerable interest’ in Toto Wolff and Christian Horner’s bids amid £2.5bn valuation

Toto Wolff and Mercedes are pursuing a stake in the Alpine F1 team

Now, Alpine’s frustrations with Mercedes may get some relief, with it recently emerging that team boss Toto Wolff is attempting to hijack Christian Horner’s acquisition of a stake in the F1 team.

Horner has been adamant about returning to the F1 paddock in some capacity, and, for a long while, Alpine looked like his best option.

However, parent company Renault has taken their time to sign off on the deal, which has allowed Wolff to declare his interest in purchasing part of the team.

While it will certainly be good news for Alpine, it could see McLaren and Williams fall even further out of favour with Mercedes in the long run, especially considering that both teams have deals to receive the Silver Arrows’ power units until 2030.