Alpine fires up Mercedes power unit ahead of 2026 F1 switch from Renault

Alpine has fired up its Mercedes power unit as it prepares for its first season as a customer team of the Brackley outfit in the upcoming 2026 Formula 1 season.

The French team shared footage of its staff listening to the roar of the power unit with the caption "okay it's happening EVERYONE STAY CALM!!"

The clip revealing the sound of the 1.6-litre turbo V6 quickly gained traction on social media, receiving 87,300 views on TikTok and 1.6 million views on X. 

"A526's vibe is unmatched! Can't wait to see what it brings to the table," one fan commented on X, while another added: "I got my hopes up."

"Exciting times ahead! Can't wait to see what A526 brings to the table," someone else wrote, while another also commented: "TRUST ME WHEN I SAY: Alpine will have the biggest comeback in 2026."

But among the positive comments were some negative, mainly taking aim at Alpine's decision to move away from Renault engines. "You can't continue to post in the name of Alpine. Alpine is part of Renault's legacy, not Mercedes, even if you win for me, there is no taste of winning. Since 2005, I used to support you, following you even when you were re-branded Lotus (except in 2015) but I'm done now. So good luck," one fan commented.
 
"Mercedes engine in the Alpine just doesn't feel right..." someone else wrote.

Alpine announced in November 2024 that it would use Mercedes power units and gearboxes from 2026 in a deal that will last until at least the end of 2030, although it might produce its own gearboxes from 2027.

The Enstone squad joins McLaren and Williams as Mercedes customer teams, and replaces Aston Martin, which previously used the Brackley power units but will switch to Honda for 2026.