🏁 PRE-SEASON READY - EL BOX DE FRANCO

What Bahrain 2026 left us: data, feelings and what we really learned

Published

26 Feb 2026

Est. reading time

4 min

💪 Pre-season is over

Now it’s time to compete.

After two test blocks at the Bahrain International Circuit, Alpine wrapped up its preparation for 2026 with more than 1,000 laps completed across Silverstone, Barcelona and Bahrain. The second and final week of testing at the Bahrain International Circuit marked the definitive end of Alpine’s 2026 pre-season: Franco’s first 👏

The team completed an intense programme, splitting the car between Colapinto and Gasly:

Wednesday – Day 1

Pierre in the morning, Franco in the afternoon. 121 laps in total as a team. Franco finished P9 with a 1:35.254 and completed 60 laps.

Thursday – Day 2

Franco all day. 120 laps (on Thursday Franco completed 120 laps on his own; on Wednesday, combined, they did 121 between them, meaning Franco logged the most laps in a single day). He finished P6 with a 1:33.818.

Friday – Day 3

Pierre all day. 118 laps. P5 with a 1:33.421.

The main objective was clear: build mileage, consolidate reliability and start pushing performance a bit further compared to the first block

In testing, no one runs under truly equal conditions. Fuel loads, engine modes, energy maps and different specifications make lap times only a partial reference.

What really mattered was something else: consistency, stability and building a solid technical base

Overall, Alpine once again comfortably exceeded one hundred laps per day, prioritising long runs, race simulations and energy management work. As is often the case in pre-season, fuel loads and engine modes prevent us from drawing 100% definitive conclusions. Beyond the timesheets, the focus was on understanding how the A526 behaves under more demanding conditions and refining the development direction ahead of Australia.

What Franco said

After completing 120 laps on Thursday, Franco explained: “It was a very positive day to close out my part of pre-season. We were able to push the car a bit more and work on different set-up elements. We’ve been building the programme from Barcelona to Bahrain because there’s a huge amount to understand with these new cars.”

And he left a key line: “We’ve got a few ideas to keep improving.”

That sums up the moment well: a solid base, but clear room for growth.

🏎️ What changed compared to the first block

If the first week was about checking systems and reliability, the second was more performance-focused. Steve Nielsen, Alpine’s Managing Director, explained it clearly: “This week in Bahrain we have really focused on pushing the car more and more across a range of conditions as we edge closer to going racing once again. Only then, in Australia, by Saturday afternoon, will we truly know where we stand in the competitive order.”

👉 We asked Franco…

The questions fans were asking while watching this week of testing:

Why did some cars use “grills” or unusual-looking designs in Bahrain?

What you see mounted outside the car, those antenna-style structures, are flow sensors and measuring devices. In testing we try many things that won’t necessarily appear in a race. Some parts help engineers understand how air moves around the car, and others are there specifically to avoid revealing real solutions. With brand-new regulations, nobody wants to show too much before the first race.

What’s going on with energy management in 2026?

This year the electrical system plays a much bigger role in overall performance. We rely more on the hybrid system, recover more energy and have to plan very carefully when to deploy it. It’s not just about top speed. Energy management changes the car’s balance, how it brakes and how it behaves through fast corners. On long runs you really feel it, especially in hot conditions like Bahrain. There’s talk about “super clipping”, which basically means using the engine while recharging part of the battery. These are new elements we’re learning to optimise. Different electrical power configurations were even tested to understand whether it’s better to use less peak power but deploy it more often per lap. The important thing is that the cars aren’t slow.

What about the start procedure for Australia?

With the new electrical split and without the MGU-H, the turbo needs a few extra seconds to be ready before the start. That’s why F1 is evaluating small adjustments to the sequence before the lights go out. It’s not about strange new rules like some social media posts suggested. These are technical details to make sure every system is fully prepared when the lights go out. Teams also agreed not to use the low-drag aerodynamic mode from the grid to Turn 1 to avoid loss of downforce. There will be adjustments before Australia, but everything is under control.

🏁 So, what did Bahrain leave us with?

- Alpine made a solid step forward compared to 2025. - The midfield looks set to be very tight. - Energy management will be a key factor in Australia.

The pre-season doesn’t hand out titles. But it does provide direction.

They said it directly: only in Australia will we truly see the real order.

What’s next

While Gasly will be in the simulator in Enstone, Franco will also be working with the team at the factory to analyse data and finalise details ahead of the trip to Australia.

The next step is no longer testing, it’s racing

See you in Melbourne next week.

Big one, FranClub 🩵

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