BWT Alpine Formula One Team officially closed the sporting chapter of its 2025 season this Tuesday in Abu Dhabi, with a private test session that was as studious as it was symbolic.

At the Yas Marina Circuit, the French outfit ran two Alpine A525 cars in different configurations, with a clear dual objective: to give a young driver valuable track time and to gather crucial data ahead of the regulatory revolution coming in 2026.

In a paddock already looking ahead, the day marked the final on-track appearance of the 2025 car and, in the background, the first concrete steps of BWT Alpine Formula One Team’s 2026 programme.

Tuesday – Post-season testing

A “standard” A525, a 2026 mule

The session revolved around two very distinct objectives. On one side, Kush Maini took the wheel of a conventionally configured Alpine A525-Renault for his first full official test day with the team. On the other, Pierre Gasly had a much more technical role: driving a mule derived from the A525, specifically adapted to simulate some of the constraints expected with the 2026 regulations.

This mule included new-generation, narrower Pirelli tyres, along with components designed to replicate future aerodynamic limitations and systems previewing the front active wing that will be authorised from 2026, in addition to the rear DRS. A deep technical exercise, far from pure performance seeking, but crucial to understanding the balance and dynamics of the next era.

From a numbers perspective, the day delivered: 272 laps in total, with 144 from Pierre Gasly and 128 from Kush Maini, equating to 1,436 kilometres combined. A substantial tally, all the more valuable as BWT Alpine Formula One Team was still running the Renault power unit—soon to be replaced by the Mercedes engine for winter testing.

BWT Alpine Formula One Team – A transition towards 2026

Beyond the simple testing scope, this day in Abu Dhabi symbolised the team’s gradual transition to its future technical and regulatory reality. While the Alpine A525 bowed out, it did so by serving as a rolling lab in preparation for the Alpine A526-Mercedes, already well into development at Enstone.

With no major issues throughout the session, engineers were able to complete the full planned programme—a rare luxury in this type of event. Kush Maini’s feedback was deemed precise and exploitable, complementing the significant amount of data already collected by Pierre Gasly using the 2026-spec tyres.

In the context of an engine switch and a major aerodynamic overhaul, this test provides BWT Alpine Formula One Team with a solid technical base heading into the winter break.

They said

Pierre Gasly

“This wraps up our on-track programme for 2025. We got a lot of laps done on the 2026 Pirelli tyres, which was essential and gives us plenty to analyse over the winter.

The year has been long for all of us, with a few highs and probably a bit too many lows, but that’s how it goes and I know we’ll come back stronger in 2026. Everyone is ready for some rest now, myself included, but we still have a few weeks of work to do before the break and the whole team is pushing hard at the factory for next season.

Thank you to every team member for their commitment and effort, especially during these last particularly intense weeks.”

Kush Maini

“What an incredible experience! First of all, thank you to the team for the opportunity and all the work they put in to help me prepare and deliver such a solid day. Everyone was amazing, extremely professional, and I learned so much today.

I felt comfortable and could focus fully on the programme, lap after lap. Everything went well with the car. It’s really well designed and great to drive, so I felt good physically—even though I’ll probably have a few aches tomorrow. It was amazing to have Pierre by my side.

He’s probably the best coach I could have asked for, so I also want to thank him. It’ll take a bit of time to really take it all in, but I’m just extremely grateful for the chance I had today.”

Dave Greenwood

“The post-season test in Abu Dhabi marked our final running of the year. Kush had a trouble-free day for his first full and official session with the team.

He worked extremely hard with the engineers ahead of the test and gave us great feedback. Credit to him for his enthusiasm and professionalism. Pierre was driving the mule fitted with the Pirelli tyres for 2026. That work is important, both for Pirelli and for us, as we are fully focused on next year. We now have some valuable data to work with over the winter.

That will help us when we hit the track again in just over a month with the new car. Preparations for the 2026 car are well underway at the factory and the two weeks remaining before the shutdown will be intense to keep pushing forward. Congratulations to the whole team for their dedication on all these projects over the last few weeks.”

A solid data foundation ahead of winter

Before officially closing the garage doors on 2025, BWT Alpine Formula One Team can reflect on an extremely productive day—both in terms of mileage and technical learnings.

This data set will directly feed into the development of the 2026 car throughout the winter.

Now, eyes on 2026

With this final test, BWT Alpine Formula One Team has officially kicked off its transition into a new era. The launch of the Alpine A526-Mercedes is expected on January 23, 2026—the first public step in a project quietly maturing for several months.

Until then, the factory will be running at full speed, with one clear objective: to turn the lessons of 2025 into a solid foundation for 2026.

Source: BWT Alpine Formula One Team