After just four race weekends, Alpine is scrapping its innovative wing concept: New rules, Ferrari’s ideas, and performance are key factors
During winter testing ahead of the 2026 Formula 1 season, Alpine surprised everyone with an innovative folding wing. But by the fourth race weekend of the year, the team had already taken a step back: The team led by Franco Colapinto and Pierre Gasly is once again relying on a conventional solution modeled after the Drag Reduction System (DRS).
This means that the upper flap of the rear wing no longer folds down at the rear but up at the front. However, this is not a classic DRS because the leading edge of the flap extends beyond the rear wing. This is made possible by the new 2026 Formula 1 rules, which grant teams greater freedom in this area than before.
For this design change, however, Alpine had to modify more than just the pivoting flap: The adjustment mechanism and the side end plates of the rear wing were also modified.
And all this in a short amount of time: Alpine had actually planned to use the new rear wing on the A526 for the first time at the Canadian Grand Prix. However, due to the cancellation of the Formula 1 races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, the team adjusted its development schedule and brought a new rear wing to Miami. Only Gasly used the update on his car; Colapinto still used the previous version.
During the short break leading up to the race in Canada, Alpine plans to complete additional units so that both drivers can compete with the new folding wing starting at the next Grand Prix. The rear wing is thus one of the “other new parts” announced by Alpine team principal Steve Nielsen. He also said: “Our updates have worked.”
How Alpine is technically following Ferrari’s lead
The Alpine updates from Miami also included a design on the exhaust tailpipe, similar to the one first developed and used by Ferrari. But unlike Ferrari, Alpine uses a more complex design: While Ferrari attaches a simple air deflector to the tailpipe, Alpine uses a type of winglet that is not directly attached to the tailpipe—it stands freely in the exhaust stream. It may work in conjunction with the new rear wing.
In addition, Alpine used a lighter chassis for Colapinto in Miami. The Argentine rewarded the team with a seventh-place finish in the Grand Prix—his best Formula 1 result to date. His teammate Gasly retired from the race in Miami after a collision that resulted in a rollover.
