Steve Nielsen, Alpine’s managing director, dismissed the concept of extended recovery schedules as the Enstone-headquartered team aims to reconstruct its Formula 1 operations.
This represents a distinct shift from the approach taken by Alpine’s prior leadership, who had pledged to a “100-race strategy” intended to propel the squad back to the forefront of competition. This initiative started in 2021, coinciding with Renault’s rebranding of its F1 division to Alpine, with aspirations for the team to be contending for podium finishes by 2024 and triumphs by 2025.
However, Alpine recently concluded its most challenging Formula 1 campaign, ending at the bottom of the constructors’ standings following the cessation of A525 development in early June to entirely prioritize the 2026 regulations.
Nielsen, who became part of the team in September, maintains that no definite timeline exists for Alpine’s regain of competitive standing.
“I do not endorse the idea of a 100-race scheme, a three-year strategy, or a five-year outlook,” Nielsen stated from Abu Dhabi. “My conviction is that you appoint the most capable individuals to appropriate roles, assign them a precise objective, ensure everyone progresses cohesively, and then strive diligently to achieve optimal performance.”
“You steadily chip away at it; it’s a gradual, persistent endeavor, and ultimately, you anticipate outperforming all rivals.”
“I can assure you we are constructing a superior vehicle for the upcoming season compared to the current one. What I cannot predict is its exact grid position—whether first, tenth, or twentieth. I am certain of our advancement, but the other nine teams are similarly progressing, making it impossible to ascertain their level of improvement.”
“My sole certainty is that we are enhancing our organizational framework, hiring in areas of deficiency, and this strenuous, continuous effort is now underway. Such transformations are not achievable within several months or even a single year.”
Steve Nielsen, Managing Director at Alpine F1
Photo by: Sam Bagnall / Sutton Images via Getty Images
Nielsen had prior tenures at Enstone throughout the Benetton and Renault periods, notably acting as sporting director during the championship-clinching seasons of 2005 and 2006. Leveraging this background, he recounted the duration required for the team to evolve into a championship-caliber entity and highlighted the challenge of applying such a benchmark to Alpine in its current state.
“I was present when Renault initially acquired Benetton,” Nielsen continued. “It took three years to secure a race victory and five years to claim the championship, and that particular benchmark isn’t strictly relevant today. It could be a quicker or longer journey – one simply strives for optimal performance.”
Alpine concluded the 2025 season at the bottom of the rankings, accumulating 22 points, having earned points in just one of the last eleven Grand Prix events. Nielsen states that the primary objective for 2026 is to guarantee the team’s competitiveness with significantly greater regularity and its ability to vie for positions at the upper echelon of the midfield.
“My aspiration is for us to compete every week, ideally securing points,” he articulated. “We achieved this sporadically this year, but too frequently we lagged considerably behind. That is not the rightful place for this team, it diverges from Enstone’s historical standing, and it is not our desired position. We must be contending at the leading edge of the midfield for points in every race weekend.”
