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BWT Alpine Formula One Team launched its 2026 campaign at the Bahrain International Circuit, host venue of the opening day of Pre-Season Test 1.
In stable conditions – track temperatures around 33°C, air ranging between 22 and 27°C with occasional gusts – the Alpine A526 completed 77 laps.
A day split between Franco Colapinto in the morning and Pierre Gasly in the afternoon, marked by an early technical setback but concluding on a more consistent note.
Friday – Practice (Test 1, Day 1)
The last team to leave the pit lane at the start of the session, Alpine began its programme cautiously. Franco Colapinto was quickly forced to stop on track, triggering the first red flag of the day. The mechanics’ swift intervention allowed the team to correct the issues detected on this entirely new car, designed to comply with the 2026 regulations (active aerodynamics and a new hybrid architecture).
Franco Colapinto eventually completed 28 laps, setting a best time of 1’40’’330 on medium tyres. The raw classification (18th) is largely incidental: the objective was aerodynamic data correlation and onboard sensor validation, notably through the use of rakes to analyse airflow.
In the afternoon, Pierre Gasly brought a different rhythm to the programme. With 49 laps completed, the Frenchman strung together long runs on C2 before exploring a more competitive window towards the end of the session. His best time of 1’36’’765 allowed him to conclude the day in 8th position.
The long runs highlighted progressive but controlled tyre degradation. On top speed, the Alpine A526 placed itself in the upper half of the field, an encouraging sign regarding aerodynamic efficiency in low-drag configuration.
BWT Alpine Formula One Team – The return of aero boldness?
Beyond the standings, the real point of interest lies in the rear architecture of the Alpine A526. The Enstone-based outfit opted for a centrally pivoted movable rear wing system enabling coordinated lowering of the entire upper plane.
Unlike certain rival solutions with split flaps, Alpine favours a global variation of the angle of attack to optimise diffuser air extraction when the active aerodynamic mode is engaged.
This approach could prove decisive in a season where overtaking phases will depend heavily on energy management and straight-line efficiency. The Enstone structure appears to be pursuing a conceptual advantage rather than a simple incremental gain.
They said
Franco Colapinto (18th) :
“My morning was not smooth and a few issues shortened a large part of the programme we had planned. This kind of thing happens in testing, especially with a new car, and it is important that we draw all the lessons from it by implementing solutions.
Pierre was able to complete a good number of laps in the afternoon, which gives us plenty to analyse. I hope we can have a productive day and accumulate more kilometres when I return to the track on Friday. It will be interesting to push a bit with the car while continuing its development in Bahrain.
I look forward to working with the team tomorrow, following the situation closely and getting back behind the wheel later in the week.”
Steve Nielsen :
“We faced challenges during this first day of pre-season testing in Bahrain. Issues on the car forced us to make several stops in the morning to implement different fixes.
This is part of the process with an entirely new car, and it is essential to resolve them quickly and take measures to prevent any recurrence. It is inherent to testing and it is important to see a positive reaction from the whole team, drivers included, in response to these setbacks.
We reacted well by correcting some of the morning’s problems and we had a slightly more productive session in the afternoon with Pierre. The objective is to return tomorrow with Pierre in the car all day in order to accumulate laps and kilometres while continuing our learning process and the development of the package.”
Conclusion – Building momentum from Saturday
With 417 kilometres covered, BWT Alpine Formula One Team leaves this opening day with a tangible yet still imperfect working base. Overall mileage remains lower than the most prolific teams on the grid, but the technical response after the morning setback is a positive signal.
Pierre Gasly is expected to run a full programme on the second day in order to increase mileage and further explore the true potential of the Alpine A526.
In this new 2026 era, the hierarchy will not be defined in a single day. But in Sakhir, the first foundations have now been laid.
Performance Summary – Test 1, Day 1
| Session | Driver | Position | Best Time | Laps |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Practice – Morning | Franco Colapinto | 18th | 1’40’’330 | 28 |
| Practice – Afternoon | Pierre Gasly | 8th | 1’36’’765 | 49 |
| Total Day | Colapinto / Gasly | – | – | 77 |
Source: BWT Alpine Formula One Team
