Alpine came away from Friday practice at Monza with both cars just outside the top ten and a clear message from the drivers: the midfield is packed and every tenth counts. Reserve driver Paul Aron took over for Free Practice 1 and ended the session tenth, before Pierre Gasly returned to the car for FP2. The team covered 105 laps and 608 km (378 miles) across the two sessions ahead of qualifying for the 2026 Italian Grand Prix.

Monza served up a familiar picture for Alpine on the opening day of the 2026 Italian Grand Prix: competitive on paper, but locked in a fight where hundredths decide positions. Across the two Friday sessions the team completed 105 laps and 608 km (378 miles), split between Pierre Gasly, Franco Colapinto and Paul Aron.

Aron takes the wheel in FP1

Free Practice 1 was handed to Aron, who ended the hour tenth with a 1:24.177 after 23 laps and 133 km (83 miles). Colapinto was ninth in the same session with a 1:24.028. According to Aron, the running was disrupted both by traffic and by a red flag, and two of his flying laps on the soft tyre were compromised.

“It was a tricky session because of the traffic, but that is the nature of Monza,” he said. “It was not ideal to see my two flying laps on the soft tyres compromised in that way, but the objective was above all to follow our programme and complete the planned tests.” Aron added that the President of Estonia attended the session, and that he was heading back to the team’s Enstone base for simulator work overnight.

A tight afternoon in FP2

Gasly returned for the second session and was 14th with a 1:23.773 from 27 laps and 156 km (97 miles). Colapinto was 11th with a 1:23.619, the team’s fastest lap of the day, and by some margin the busiest driver of the three with 55 laps and 319 km (198 miles). Alpine ran the C3, C4 and C5 compounds over the course of the day.

Colapinto said the car felt stronger in the morning than the afternoon, and pointed to grip as the main issue.

“We had more difficulties in FP2. It was as if I was lacking grip, particularly at the apex of the corners. That may be linked to the conditions, as it was very hot. So it is important to analyse and understand what happened.”

Gasly plays down the timing screens

Gasly’s view was that Friday’s order flattered nobody, least of all Alpine. “I don’t think the classification faithfully reflects our real level of performance,” he said. “The car has potential here and I think the fight for the top ten will be close. We will have to make some changes to find improvements, but I am convinced we can be in the mix for Q3.”

He also referred to news received earlier in the day about the result of the Monaco Grand Prix, saying he was “of course disappointed” but focused on this weekend. The release does not state what the Monaco decision involved.

What it means

With the top ten separated by very little at a circuit where slipstreams and track position dominate, Alpine’s Saturday is likely to hinge on getting a clean lap in Q1 and Q2 rather than on outright car performance. The team says it is running the revised A526 this season, developed at Enstone, across a 24-race calendar.

Facts: Alpine at the 2026 Italian Grand Prix, Friday

  • FP1: Franco Colapinto 9th, 1:24.028 — Paul Aron 10th, 1:24.177
  • FP2: Franco Colapinto 11th, 1:23.619 — Pierre Gasly 14th, 1:23.773
  • Total laps: 105 (Gasly 27, Colapinto 55, Aron 23)
  • Total distance: 608 km (378 miles) — Gasly 156 km (97 miles), Colapinto 319 km (198 miles), Aron 133 km (83 miles)
  • Tyres used: C3 (Gasly, Colapinto), C4 (Colapinto, Aron), C5 (Gasly, Colapinto, Aron)

Qualifying for the Italian Grand Prix takes place on Saturday.

Source: media.alpinecars.com