After weeks of speculation, it is finally official. The Alpine F1 Team will be powered by Mercedes from the 2026 season. With this deal, Alpine enters a new era where they are no longer powered by Renault engines.
Back in 2021, Alpine entered Formula 1 by taking over as the works team for Renault. Renault stayed on to supply power units for the team which they have been doing since. However, a few weeks back, Renault confirmed that they are not planning to build F1 power units from the 2026 season. This paved the way for Alpine to sign with Mercedes.
Mercedes-powered Alpine: What can we expect?
We all know that Mercedes is one of the best power unit manufacturers in F1. They have proven their capabilities with McLaren in the late 90s and 2000s, and then with Mercedes in the turbo-hybrid era. So we know the potential Mercedes has to build a powerful engine for the 2026 season.
Team Statement
BWT Alpine Formula One Team and Mercedes-Benz sign Power Unit and Gearbox agreements. pic.twitter.com/ucLBR70kK9
— BWT Alpine Formula One Team (@AlpineF1Team) November 12, 2024
Until the end of the 2025 season, there will be an engine freeze, and none of the manufacturers can make any major changes to their power unit specs. However, in 2026, the manufacturers will have to develop a completely new power unit.
After 2025, the FIA will be introducing a new set of regulations, bringing major changes to the power unit. The overall pace of the car will be more dependent on the power unit over aerodynamics. It has been reported that Mercedes has shown the best potential out of the manufacturers for 2026. This makes it Alpine’s best choice among the available manufacturers for 2026.
How many F1 teams is Mercedes supplying power units to in 2026?
After Alpine’s signing, Mercedes will be supplying 4 teams with their power units in 2026. That’s almost half the grid. This list includes their own team, Mercedes, Williams, McLaren, and now, Alpine. Mercedes has the facility to manufacture power units for so many teams. But even now, Mercedes is supplying 4 teams with Aston Martin replacing Alpine.
So with the help of the powerful Mercedes engine, Alpine will be hoping to get some better results in the next era of Formula 1. It will be interesting the see how the team performs with the Mercedes engines.
Do you think Alpine will be able to compete for podiums on a more regular basis from 2026? Post your thoughts in the comments section below.
