Alpine F1 team switch to Mercedes engines from 2026

The Alpine Formula 1 team announced on Tuesday it will switch to Mercedes engines from the 2026 season as it bids to keep pace with its rivals.

Alpine's parent company Renault decided in September to end its works engine programme in France, which had been working on developing new power units to comply with F1 regulation changes that come into force in 2026.

The deal with Mercedes that runs until 2030 is aimed at eliminating problems linked to the Renault engines and follows the appointment of former Renault F1 team boss Flavio Briatore as executive advisor.

A statement from the team announced that Alpine, the team previously known as Renault which rebranded in 2021, would also switch to Mercedes gearboxes.

"Alpine, Mercedes-AMG High Performance Powertrains, and Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix have entered into power unit and gearbox agreements from the start of the 2026 world championship," the team said.

Alpine lagged behind the field in the early races of this season but has sped up significantly in recent months, culiminating in Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly finishing second and third, behind winner Max Verstappen, in the rain-hit Sao Paulo Grand Prix on 3 November.

As a result the team leapt from ninth to sixth in the constructors' standings.