Alpine A525 speculation thread

[danypons8]

This post is for talk about the Alpine A525.
Will be have this car a Mercedes engine?
Or finally can be real for 2026?

[lio007]

This year's car will feature a Renault PU.

[danypons8]

Ok thank you for the info.
I think this year the car will be similar the last year.
Alpine have so much disadvantage with the Renault engine.

[Foryster]

There is a photo of new inlet (taller and slimmer?) and no major changes looking at this photo.

https://speedcafe.com/alpine-reaches-ma ... th-doohan/

So far no more rumors in the internet what is very good having in mind last year (we already knew that drivers were not happy and they had a big delay and problems with FIA tests).

One last rumor is that... the CAR WILL BE PAINTED!! There was a leak by Flavio.

[BorisTheBlade]

I am pretty sure that this is a seat fitting mule and not the real deal.

[yinlad]

I am pretty sure that this is a seat fitting mule and not the real deal.

Why would you think that? Seats are made directly in each chassis every year, why would they build an entire carbon tub with a roll hoop fitted just to seat fit? It's certainly the tub of the 2025 car

[continuum16]

It probably is the 2025 chassis, but I am fairly certain that is only part of the inlet, formed by the actual survival cell. Typical (of this generation at least) rounded airbox with split inlet configuration similar to previous cars is most likely.

I am not a big Alpine/Enstone guy but I am intrigued to see this new car, it seems David Sanchez was very quick to put his thumb on the scale last year and the trajectory from the end of last year would indicate a sizable jump or at least a pretty big change is possible. Plus, I would expect this year’s chassis to be lighter and/or more optimized (not having to make in-season lightening modifications) after they learned from the crash test debacle of last season.

As far as paint goes I wouldn’t expect much different; after all I wouldn’t be shocked if every team wheels out a fully painted car for the “Official F1 Launch” but suddenly has a lot more carbon by the time they hit Bahrain. The A424 WEC livery looks nice, I wonder if they will follow suit a bit with the F1 car (minus the obligatory BWT pink).

[Foryster]

I think so to, that Sanchez did extremely good job last year. If they continue this year, they should be aiming for P5.

I don't believe much in Aston. They will focus more on 2026 and resolving their problems. P5 is achievable.

[Vanja #66]

Renders showed A524 with new livery. No new bodywork spotted, front wing the same one used in Qatar and AD 2024

[Foryster]

Agree. This is the old car. The real one will hit the road on 24th in Bahrain (filming day).

What is known… they will reuse 2024 chassis - all four units. Including the Ocons ones I don’t think they will do it if there was any doubt about it (what Ocon was saying).

[continuum16]

Agree. This is the old car. The real one will hit the road on 24th in Bahrain (filming day).

What is known… they will reuse 2024 chassis - all four units. Including the Ocons ones I don’t think they will do it if there was any doubt about it (what Ocon was saying).

Agreed about re-using chassis being a sign of no issues with certain chassis.

Unless there was… oh… I don’t know… a driver that you wanted to get rid of by claiming his performance was poor in order to make way for another driver, who you could then give another, perhaps “less compromised” chassis to. Hypothetically speaking, of course…

[Foryster]

Oups. Rumors stating that... its the same car as 2024 with some minor changes.

Here on track:

https://i.redd.it/f47atpj4f3le1.jpeg

[continuum16]

IIRC when the 2024 Austin upgrade came, they said "this is the basis for the 2025 car." Not kidding I guess. The A524 thread has very few images of the post-Austin car, but here is the best comparison. Either the floor stay has moved forward on the chassis or the sidepod shoulders have been raised and/or set back, as the floor stay now cuts through them.

Elsewhere, it looks like they have simplified the mirror turning vanes (was a set of 4-5, now only one or two based on the image). Hard to tell from the 2025 picture but I don't see the P-shaped inlets? Tough angle to tell from and spy shot not the best for that anyways. If they are reusing 2024 chassis it's probably there still, especially since other teams have clearly gone in that direction.

[tomazy]

Well, the nose is different, as it does't connect to the leading element of the front wing as it did last year.

[BorisTheBlade]

Re-using last year's Chassis sounds rather awkward - can't imagine that, especially as their Performance was not that great even in the end.
If that indeed was true, I cannot see them moving up the Picking order.