Alpine changes its name and colors: million-dollar injection from Gucci as part of the growth with Briatore
Flavio Briatore It is totally changing the situation of Alpine. When the executive advisor of the Alpine team arrived in June 2024, he found a team without direction, lacking resources and that had experienced several internal earthquakes, losing pilots such as Fernando Alonso and Oscar Piastri in an incomprehensible way.
“I will do what I know how to do,” he said in one of his first interventions. He had to clean up the face of the whole, reduce costs and establish a growth plan. He made a very painful decision, to stop manufacturing his own engines at the Viry-Châtillon (France) engine factory and thus save efforts by reaching an agreement to become a Mercedes customer, aware that the star’s firm would have the best engine in 2026. And he was right. He first had to go through a tough year of transition, with the team at the bottom of the table in 2025, the result of the decision not to invest money in improving that car to focus on the rule change in 2026. And he decided to make another great personal bet, that of Franco Colapinto as a driver alongside Gasly. And time has ended up proving him right.
Now, the team has started with the leading car in the middle zone, competing for points in all race weekends and powered by the best power unit on the grid. And Colapinto is performing, as demonstrated by his performances in Miami and Canada, where he was better than a great driver like Gasly.
Alpine’s goal is to win, as Flavio Briaatore made clear to MD in January. There is still a long way to go, but this time, the team is on the rise. He makes all the decisions and they finally have a very clear plan and structure. And that is also noticeable in the box.
This is how it is understood that Alpine has once again become attractive to big brands like Gucci, which this Wednesday announced its arrival in F1 as the official sponsor of the Alpine team for 2027, something that will cause the team to change its name and become Gucci Racing Alpine Formula One Team and will race in the Gucci colors.
“Gucci announces a partnership with Alpine Formula One Team, the first time that a luxury fashion house acts as title sponsor of a team competing at the pinnacle of motorsport, Formula 1. Starting with the 2027 FIA Formula 1 World Championship, the team will compete under the name “Gucci Racing Alpine Formula One Team” and will race in Gucci colors”; announces the set.
“Driven by mutual ambition and shared values, the collaboration presents Gucci Racing, a new business and experiential platform built around the values of performance, precision, discipline and excellence at the intersection of luxury and sport. The partnership with Alpine Formula One Team constitutes its first sphere of expression. Gucci Racing comes to life through a specific logo, which incorporates the brand’s iconic interlocking double G along with the name Gucci Racing,” the statement added.
“Partnering with a brand as prestigious as Gucci in Formula 1, as title sponsor of the Alpine Formula One team, is something I am incredibly proud of. Furthermore, I am excited by the possibilities that this collaboration with Gucci offers and the great achievements we can achieve together on a global level. The Enstone team has a long history of doing things differently and has already proven that fashion can succeed in Formula 1. With Alpine’s improved on-track performance and better score at the start of the season, this new collaboration with Gucci demonstrates the team’s growing momentum. I would like to thank Luca (de Meo) and Francesca (Bellettini) for their trust and dedication in this project, and for helping make this partnership a reality,” explains Flavio Briatore in the statement.
