Flavio Briatore has declared there to be "a real hunger" in the eyes of Alpine drivers Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto ahead of the upcoming new F1 season.
On the day the team launched its 2026 challenger, the A526, team boss Briatore made clear it is now "the duty" of everyone in the team to provide the duo with a car worthy of their talent for the new regulatory era.
Last season proved to be a difficult one for Alpine as it finished bottom of the constructors' championship, whilst it also axed Jack Doohan after just six grands prix and brought in reserve Colapinto, although the Argentinian driver failed to score a point.
For this season, the team has switched to Mercedes power after ending its long-standing alliance with Renault, which could prove to be a vital step in forging its way up the grid if the German manufacturing giant again delivers a front-running system.
That was the case in 2014 when Mercedes dominated F1 following the introduction of the 1.6-litre V6 turbo-hybrid PUs. For this year, the MGU-H has been ditched, and the MGU-K beefed up to run at 350kW from its previous output of 120kW.
Describing the upcoming year as "a unique season in Formula 1 history", Briatore added that the "clean sheet of paper" provides "a great opportunity for us to be more competitive than previous campaigns".
He said: “It has been a relentless few months at the Enstone factory in preparation for the season, designing and creating the A526, together with Mercedes-AMG, who will supply the new power unit and gearbox from this season; a partnership we are very much excited about.
“It is quite rare to see such changes in our sport and ones which have the potential to shake up the competitive order. We are taking it step by step. We do not know where we will rank at race one, let alone the final race.
“Development will be crucial, and learning and understanding how best to maximise the package at each circuit will make a big difference to our success. We know this is a long journey and one we look forward to taking on.
“Pierre and Franco have a real hunger in their eyes. Last year was not easy for anyone, not least for them, and it is our duty to provide them with the car which will allow them to showcase their talent in the most competitive positions."
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