RACING: The only way is up for Alpine as new F1 car launched on a cruise liner

Renault-owned Alpine launched their new Formula One car on a cruise liner on Friday, embarking on a journey they hope will take them back to the top after finishing last in a dire 2025 season.

French driver Pierre Gasly joined Argentine teammate Franco Colapinto in unveiling the pink and blue liveried A526 car on board the MSC World Europa docked at Barcelona's cruise terminal.

With a new engine era starting with private testing in Barcelona next week, and the most sweeping rule changes in decades, Formula One teams could face a bumpy few months with the pecking order yet to be established.

Alpine, who have been working on their 2026 car for longer than most in recognition of the need to make a significant jump in performance, will have Mercedes engines instead of Renault ones.

"You know, the game is always the same, we need to go quick," executive advisor Flavio Briatore, who led the team's predecessors Benetton and then Renault to titles in the 1990s and 2000s, told assembled guests and media.

"I believe this year sure we are competitive."

The team ran the car at Silverstone earlier in the week, without incident.

Gasly, a race winner and scorer of all the team's points last season, said he was excited.

"It's a big opportunity for us as a team. It's a big opportunity obviously for us drivers," he added. "It's going to be very technical. There are going to be a lot of things to learn and to adapt to.

"As Flavio said, we all want to win. The team has done a fantastic job over the winter, preparing as best they could and we had a very successful shakedown which is a great start."

Colapinto, yet to score a point for Alpine, said last year's struggles were because of the early focus on 2026 and getting ahead of the curve.

Briatore said there would be no excuses now.

"We have a brand new car and we have the same drivers," added the Italian. "I promise you, he (Colapinto) has done a very good job. I hope it's going to be a much better result and he's ready to compete with Pierre.

"We need two drivers competing all of the time for the team."

-Alan Baldwin/Reuters