Alpine will source a transmission from Mercedes in 2026, but will then build its own again: team principal Oliver Oakes explains the background.
Alpine has made an unusual decision and will rely on a Mercedes gearbox in 2026. This is not unusual in itself, as the French manufacturer will also source the gearboxes from the manufacturer after the engine project in Viry-Chatillon comes to an end, but they will only rely on an external gearbox for one year and then build their own again
“We’re only taking it for a single year in 2026. This gives us a bit of leeway for the rule change, so we have one less thing to worry about,” team principal Oliver Oakes told Autosport.
From 2027, they want to have their own gearbox in the car again, just as it will still be the case this year. “It’s just a matter of balancing resources for that one season in 2026, and everyone on the team has developed, manufactured, built and driven a great gearbox. And you can see that in the current results,” he says.
2025 will now be the last year with its own engine. Despite strong protests from employees, Renault has decided not to develop a new Formula One engine for the new regulations from 2026 and instead to focus its employees on other things.
2025 will not be written off
Those responsible around CEO Luca de Meo and advisor Flavio Briatore see no disadvantage in a customer engine and are likely to feel vindicated by the world title of McLaren, who are also customers of Mercedes.
But before the new regulations take effect, Alpine still has to survive 2025, which will probably be no more than a transitional season because they have no good foundation to build on. However, the team does not want to write off the season completely, even though some competitors are already focusing fully on 2026.
“That’s the hot topic at the moment,” says Oakes about the balance of 2025 and 2026. ‘Some teams have already said quite openly that they will sacrifice 2025, but how much of it can be believed, I don’t know. Maybe they’re just trying to take the pressure off because most teams already know in December what they will look like for 2025.’
Alpine expects a difficult year
Alpine itself would like to have a good year in 2025, as he emphasizes. But he also says: “We are aware that it won’t be easy, because we still have a lot to learn from this year.”
And the A524 was not the best car, as we know, even though Alpine made it to sixth place with a double surprise podium in Brazil.
“And we know we’d like to do more for the development and balance of resources for 2026, but I think everyone will be judged over the next three years,” Oakes said. “I think people will judge us on the work we did between 23, 24, 25 and 26, 27, as a period of time and not just at this point in Formula One.”
