Alpine's disappointing weekend leads to candid critiques from Gasly and Briatore, with Gasly expressing his frustration and Briatore admitting their approach was a mistake, labeling it as wasteful.
In the aftermath of the Hungarian Grand Prix, where Alpine's drivers finished last and 19th, team principal Flavio Briatore has outlined his plans for the team after the upcoming summer break. The Formula 1 season will take a nearly month-long break, starting immediately after the Hungarian Grand Prix, and will resume on August 29-31 at the Zandvoort circuit in the Netherlands.
Briatore expressed disappointment with the Hungarian Grand Prix result, describing it as a complicated weekend overall. However, he remains focused on the future, particularly the 2026 season under new regulations. He plans to use the summer break to recharge and prepare for the second half of the season, while simultaneously concentrating resources and efforts on developing a competitive car and possibly revising the driver lineup to be ready for the new regulations.
Pierre Gasly, one of Alpine's drivers, started on hard tires, stopped once, and did 37 laps on mediums during the Hungarian Grand Prix. Despite defending against Nico Hülkenberg for about 15 laps and managing to pass some drivers, Gasly expressed anger and criticism towards Alpine's strategy after the race.
Briatore's comments suggest that he is considering alternatives for the driver lineup in 2026, with Sergio Perez, a former Red Bull driver dropped after 2024, being considered as a potential replacement due to his experience and financial backing. Rumors also suggest that Briatore may be less than satisfied with the performance of young driver Franco Colapinto, who finished 18th in the Hungarian Grand Prix.
Despite the struggles in 2025, Renault’s new CEO Francois Provost has affirmed Alpine’s continued presence in Formula 1 beyond 2025. Provost emphasized performance improvement as a priority, underscoring the importance of F1 to Alpine’s strategy. The team in Enstone is making positive progress on the project for next year, with the focus on 2026 and making the most of the new regulations.
The teams in Formula 1 will have more than three weeks of rest during the summer break, providing ample time for reflection and preparation. Briatore expects everyone to return from the break with strong determination and fighting spirit to finish 2025 as well as possible and ensure readiness for 2026. The Formula 1 season will continue after the summer break, with Lando Norris winning the Hungarian Grand Prix at the wheel of the McLaren.
Briatore aims to leverage the summer break to evaluate potential driver lineup changes for the 2026 season, considering experienced drivers like Sergio Perez as possible replacements. Meanwhile, he remains determined to revamp Alpine's performance on the racetrack, especially with Formula 1's upcoming new regulations.
In the midst of discussions about driver changes, it seems that Franco Colapinto's performance in racing events has been less than satisfactory for Briatore, as evidenced by his 18th place finish in the Hungarian Grand Prix.
