Carlos Sainz Drops Bombshell: Alpine Could Have Secured Front Row in Bahrain with Mercedes Power
The Formula 1 world was left in shock as Carlos Sainz hinted that an Alpine car could have clinched a front-row spot at the Bahrain Grand Prix if equipped with a Mercedes engine by 2025. The revelation came following Alpine’s lackluster start to the season, which saw Pierre Gasly break the team’s streak of failing to score points by finishing seventh.
Gasly’s impressive performance caught the attention of Sainz, who noted that the Alpine driver had the potential to challenge polesitter Oscar Piastri if not for the team’s significant disadvantage in straight-line speed. This setback is expected to be resolved in 2026 when Alpine transitions to Mercedes power units.
Sainz expressed his astonishment at Alpine’s cornering abilities, highlighting that Gasly was matching McLaren’s pace in certain corners. The Spaniard emphasized, “So if you put them on a Merc engine or a Ferrari engine, you have a car that is in the front row.”
Despite a disappointing end to his own race in Bahrain due to contact with Yuki Tsunoda, Sainz acknowledged Alpine’s superior pace, admitting that Williams had no answer to their speed. Reflecting on the race, Sainz revealed, “But the Alpine was too quick for us this weekend.”
The Williams driver remained optimistic about his team’s progress, stating, “The weekends will come a bit more together hopefully, and, at the same time, we have this little bit to improve on the car to see if we can catch Gasly and [Jack] Doohan with the Alpines.”
With Sainz dropping this bombshell revelation about Alpine’s potential with a Mercedes engine, the Formula 1 landscape may be on the brink of a major shakeup. Fans are eagerly awaiting the upcoming races to see if Alpine can capitalize on their cornering prowess and challenge the front-runners with enhanced power units in the near future.
