For Franco Colapinto, who had to face 2025 with a limited A525, the change represents the opportunity to compete in better conditions from the start of the championship. The first laps of the new Alpine will take place during the private tests in Barcelona from January 26 to 30.
Alpine has confirmed the date for the presentation of the car that Franco Colapinto will drive in 2026, marking the beginning of a season defined by regulatory changes and the arrival of Mercedes engines. The team based in Enstone announced that the A526 will be unveiled on January 23 in Barcelona, three days before the start of the pre-season tests scheduled at the Circuit de Catalunya between the 26th and 30th of that month.
The team chose the Catalan city as the starting point for its new project. The event will bring together Colapinto, Pierre Gasly, executives, engineers, and guests, according to the Argentine News Agency (NA). At 12:30 local time (17:30 in Argentina), the presentation of the first Alpine powered by a Mercedes power unit will begin, a structural change that marks the beginning of a new technical era for the brand.
Alpine is working on an accelerated schedule, as the A526 chassis has already passed the FIA crash tests and been homologated. The Mercedes engine will be fired up for the first time in the coming days, and the complete car will be assembled before the end of the year. This will give the team January for simulations, aerodynamic correlations, and final adjustments.
Red Bull and Racing Bulls will hold a joint event with Ford on January 15 to reveal their new lineup and 2026 cars. This level of progress is unusual in a year with a profound regulation overhaul. According to team director Steve Nielsen, Enstone is operating at maximum capacity, compressing work that typically takes two to three months into a four-week timeframe. The team itself states that the strategy of prioritizing the 2026 season throughout the current year is already yielding concrete results in the car's development.
The A526 will feature, for the first time, a Mercedes engine, transmission, and suspension, a decision that signifies a significant technical leap. Aston Martin, for its part, will showcase its cars designed by Adrian Newey on February 9.
The World Championship will begin on March 8 in Melbourne with the Australian Grand Prix.
