Enstone outfit slip to sixth as Racing Bulls seize the midfield initiative

When Alpine dragged themselves off the bottom of the pile to emerge as the leading midfield team in the opening rounds of 2026, there was cautious optimism at Enstone. Half a year on, that optimism has curdled. A steady decline through the European summer has allowed Racing Bulls to overhaul them, with the Faenza-based squad snatching fifth place in the constructors' standings in Hungary by a margin of six points.

On the face of it, Alpine's improvement from last season should be applauded. They have already nearly tripled their points total from a wretched 2025 campaign that ended with them propping up the table, and they remain heavily invested in the fight to be crowned 'best of the rest'. But the dwindling progress of recent rounds — and the loss of a position they had held comfortably — is the concern now that half the year is gone.

Gasly's Monaco miracle the lone high point

If there is one moment Alpine will cling to from the first half of the year, it is Pierre Gasly's podium at Monaco — a result that, remarkably, was not confirmed until five days after the race itself.

Having started ninth, the Frenchman capitalised on two Safety Cars and a red flag to move into fourth, then gained another place when George Russell served a penalty. What Gasly did not know as he crossed the line was that he was carrying two time penalties of his own, which dropped him to seventh. His team launched a Right of Review that was ultimately deemed successful, reinstating him to the top three and forcing Isack Hadjar to hand the trophy over.

"Gasly himself would admit that luck played a role in his P3 finish at the Monaco Grand Prix," the assessment notes — though for a Frenchman racing in the Principality, the closest thing he has to a home event, the result remains something many can only dream of. It is his first podium since 2024.

Beyond Monaco, Alpine's strongest weekend came in Canada, where Franco Colapinto claimed a career-best sixth and Gasly finished eighth — one of four double points finishes for the team. Gasly also produced a superb recovery drive from 14th to seventh at Barcelona-Catalunya.

A lopsided team-mate battle

Alpine's search for a long-term partner for Gasly has been turbulent. Jack Doohan was replaced by Franco Colapinto in 2025 in what was initially billed as a rotation, but the Argentine impressed enough to stay on for this season. He has taken a clear step forward, yet Gasly holds a commanding qualifying advantage of 9-2.

Both drivers reached Q3 early in the year — Gasly in China, Japan, Miami and Monaco, Colapinto in Miami and Canada — but those spots at the tail of the top ten have since been seized by Racing Bulls and the occasional Audi. In race trim the gap narrows to 7-4 in Gasly's favour, with Colapinto finishing ahead on four occasions, including his Canadian sixth.

Of Alpine's 61 points so far, Gasly has contributed 42, built on a run of seven consecutive scoring rounds that was only halted by the Austrian Grand Prix, which he labelled "the toughest of the season".

The slide and a frightening Miami moment

The decline has been gradual but unmistakable. Neither driver scored in Austria or Hungary, where they lagged behind their rivals. Even when Colapinto finished tenth in Belgium, he was too downbeat about the package to enjoy it, warning the car felt "too slow". Hopes that the Hungaroring's corners would suit the Alpine were dashed as they could only manage 12th and 15th.

The biggest on-track incident came in Miami, where Gasly inadvertently made contact with Racing Bulls' Liam Lawson, sending the latter's car flipping through the air and into the barriers. Gasly was fortunately uninjured, but it brought a chilling end to his weekend.

What comes next

After finishing tenth in 2025, Alpine could scarcely have imagined surrendering a commanding hold on fifth so quickly. The swing is largely down to a magnificent surge from Racing Bulls, who implemented effective upgrades and reaped the rewards through Lawson and rookie Arvid Lindblad. More updates are expected from both outfits after the summer break. If Alpine can unlock more pace, lean on Gasly's trademark consistency and lift Colapinto to a similar level, they may yet reclaim control of the midfield.