While Carlos Sainz preferred to join Williams next season, Alpine F1 executive advisor Flavio Briatore says the Spaniard would still be welcome in 2026.
Alpine, currently ninth in the Manufacturers’ Championship, is having a particularly complicated year. The car is in great difficulty on the track, while several changes have also occurred off the track.
Return of Flavio Briatore, arrival of Oliver Oakes as team director or even abandonment of Renault F1 engines at the end of 2025 at the Viry-Châtillon factory.
A global situation which makes Flavio Briatore say that the choice of drivers is currently not essential at Alpine.
“There is no disappointment. Carlos [Sainz] was an opportunity, but it was a little too early,” the Italian told Motorsport-Magazin regarding the Spaniard’s refusal to join Alpine. “Before we talk about drivers, we first have to talk about a competitive car, because if the car doesn’t perform well, it doesn’t matter which driver you put behind the wheel.”
“First of all, we need to clean up with Oliver [Oakes] and re-motivate everyone at Alpine”, continues Briatore, who made a resounding return last June to the Enstone-based team.
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Briatore: “SIf Sainz wants to come in 2026, we will be there.”
The experienced Italian also supported his point by addressing the situation of Max Verstappen, who dominated the sport last year before falling into line now that the competition has developed high-performance cars.
“A year ago, Max Verstappen was winning every race and now that other cars are more competitive, other drivers are winning races,” he explains.
“I don’t want to spend X million on a pilot because it doesn’t make a difference. We are happy with Gasly and we have a young driver now, but if Carlos wants to come in 2026, we will be there.”
The “young pilot” in question is Alpine junior Jack Doohan, who will make his F1 debut alongside Pierre Gasly with the French team next season. Esteban Ocon will leave Alpine to join Haas in 2025.
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