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BWT Alpine Formula One Team completed its third and final day of testing at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya on January 30, 2026. Pierre Gasly handled the entire day’s running, completing 160 laps — approximately 745 km — without interruption or technical alerts.
The day was focused on collecting data on aerodynamic settings, thermal management, and hybrid systems, in line with the new 2026 technical regulations.
The scheduled programme was completed in full.
BWT Alpine Formula One Team: Friday – Testing (Day 5)
A full day focused on long runs and technical validation
Running began in cool conditions (8°C) and stabilized around 16°C. The session ran incident-free. Pierre Gasly completed 78 laps in the morning (363 km) and 82 in the afternoon (382 km).
No short runs were attempted: Alpine prioritized race simulation, energy recovery via the MGU-K, and tyre degradation analysis on the new 2026 narrower tyres.
Pierre Gasly’s best lap was timed at 1:17.707, placing him 6th out of 12 drivers. The gap to Lewis Hamilton’s benchmark (Mercedes, 1:16.348) was +1.359 seconds.
Alpine F1 Team did not perform low-fuel or qualifying-style short runs aimed at maximising lap times.
Unofficial Classification – Day 5 Best Times
| Position | Driver | Team | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | 1:16.348 |
| 2 | Lando Norris | McLaren | 1:16.594 |
| 3 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 1:16.653 |
| 4 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren | 1:17.446 |
| 5 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull | 1:17.586 |
| 6 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine | 1:17.707 |
| 7 | Esteban Ocon | Haas | 1:18.393 |
| 8 | Oliver Bearman | Haas | 1:18.423 |
| 9 | Nico Hülkenberg | Audi | 1:19.870 |
| 10 | Gabriel Bortoleto | Audi | 1:20.179 |
| 11 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin | 1:20.795 |
| 12 | Valtteri Bottas | Cadillac | 1:20.920 |
Comments from Steve Nielsen: Reliability confirmed, hierarchy still unclear
Managing Director Steve Nielsen described the week as the first of three scheduled test phases. After a shakedown at Silverstone, Barcelona allowed the team to focus on energy recovery and operational procedures.
“We completed 764 kilometers on the final day, giving us plenty to analyse before Bahrain.”
The Alpine A526 ran without causing a red flag. The integration of the new Mercedes power unit was successful, with specific cooling tests visible on the modified engine cover used on days 3 and 5.
“This week was mainly dedicated to systems and procedures, as well as familiarisation with the car.”
On performance, Nielsen pointed out that timing remains inconclusive:
“It’s far too early to draw any conclusions. I doubt many teams have shown their true potential.”
Shakedown Summary
Alpine ran on Days 1, 3, and 5. Franco Colapinto drove on the first two days:
- Day 1: 60 laps, one minor red flag resolved.
- Day 3: 125 laps, focused on aero and systems work.
- Day 5: Pierre Gasly, 160 laps.
Total: 349 laps, approximately 1,625 km. Alpine ranked 4th in total mileage behind Red Bull (450), Mercedes (420), and McLaren (410).
No major problems were reported. Unlike Aston Martin (partial reliability issues), Haas (minor stops), or McLaren (fuel system fix), Alpine had no technical interruptions.
Conclusion
BWT Alpine Formula One Team concludes this shakedown with a reliable car, full mileage and a test programme executed without incidents. System validation was the priority, not performance benchmarking.
Next step: official testing in Bahrain from February 11–13, where performance will be in focus.
Performance Summary – BWT Alpine Formula One Team – Barcelona Test 2026
| Day | Session | Driver | Laps | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Testing | Franco Colapinto | 60 | 1:19.150* |
| Day 3 | Testing | Franco Colapinto | 125 | NC |
| Day 5 | Testing | Pierre Gasly | 160 | 1:17.707* |
*Unofficial time.
Source: BWT Alpine Formula One Team
