Flavio Briatore has privately outlined his real expectations for Alpine in 2026 Formula 1 season

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Flavio Briatore is leading Alpine into a new era in 2026 as they look to rebuild from the ground up after a dramatic regression.

The Enstone outfit are recovering from their worst season since rebranding from Renault in 2021. They finished bottom of the standings in 2025, with Pierre Gasly scoring all of their points as Jack Doohan and Franco Colapinto struggled to perform.

It is a season that the boss does not want to repeat under any circumstances. Briatore says there are ‘no more excuses’ for Alpine as they head into 2026 and the new technical regulations.

Alpine’s new era in F1 with Mercedes engines begins here. Rate their 2026 livery out of 10!

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The team unveiled the A526 on Friday and ran it in a shakedown session at Silverstone. Alpine postponed an earlier test in Barcelona due to complications with their Mercedes engine.

It was the first chance for Alpine to see where their 2026 project was before pre-season testing in Barcelona next week. High expectations are being put on the team, especially from Briatore.

Flavio Briatore wants Alpine to qualify ‘P6 to P7’ at every race in 2026

The 75-year-old has insisted that it will be on Alpine if they cannot perform in 2026. Briatore claims that they have the tools they need to be a success as they transition into a Mercedes customer team.

Journalist Jon Noble asked Briatore at their launch what he considered to be a ‘good job’ from the team. He wants to see Gasly and Colapinto regularly qualifying in the top 10.

“Flavio was quite empathic on stage, that he said: ‘If we do a bad job, it’s our fault, because we have everything we need,” said Noble via The Race F1 Podcast.

“We’ve got the budget, we’ve got the staff, we’ve got the facility’. This is the first Alpine car, first true Alpine car he says that’s come in under his watch because by the time he arrived, the 2025 car was already in place.

“And I think that sets you up then for your season that, therefore you have to do a good job. I asked him afterwards, I said: ‘You said if you do a bad job it’s your fault. Can you tell me what do you classify a good job, what do you classify a bad job?’

“He said, a bad job is like last year, and I think if things are like last year, I don’t know where they go from here. More Alpine chaos!

“But he said a good job is qualifying P6, P7, pretty much every race, consistently bringing home the points, and on occasion, those good days, sniffing for the podiums, potentially something better coming up.”

READ MORE: All you need to know about Alpine F1 Team from team principal to lineage

Is Flavio Briatore’s target for Alpine realistic?

Briatore’s targets for Alpine are certainly ambitious, especially after such a torrid 2025 season. To go from the back of the field to regularly challenging for points or even podiums would be some accomplishment.

In theory, they have the tools to do just that, as rumours suggest that Mercedes will have the fastest power unit in 2026. It could put Alpine at an advantage, but they will be under pressure to deliver results.

Is Flavio Briatore’s target for Alpine in 2026 realistic or too ambitious?

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Gasly has the experience and the talent to fight for top positions, but Colapinto has a point to prove in 2026. His crashes and slow pace compared to his teammate are not something Briatore will want to see again this year.

Johnny Herbert has predicted a ‘very tough’ season for Alpine in 2026. It may be that the Enstone outfit have to get accustomed to the Mercedes engine before mounting a serious challenge at the front.