The bombshell has dropped! **Flavio Briatore** has officially confirmed that his return to **Alpine** as an executive advisor was contingent upon one audacious demand: the team's complete pivot to **Mercedes** customer engines for the **2026 F1 season**. This revelation shatters previous denials and underscores a strategic gamble by the Enstone squad.
Key Takeaways:
- **Flavio Briatore** mandated a switch to **Mercedes** power units as his *only* condition for joining **Alpine**.
- **Alpine** will abandon its long-standing in-house engine program, adopting **Mercedes** engines and gearboxes from **2026**.
- This move aims to eliminate a persistent performance deficit and refocus resources on chassis development.
- The team has sacrificed **2025** aerodynamic development to pour all efforts into the new **2026 regulations**.
Briatore's Power Play: A Strategic Ultimatum
**Briatore's** candid admission during the **Alpine 2026** challenger launch in Barcelona marks a significant moment. Previously, the veteran motorsport figure had downplayed his involvement in the controversial decision to cease **Renault's** proprietary engine development at Viry-Chatillon. Now, he asserts it was a non-negotiable term set for **Renault CEO Luca de Meo**.
For **Briatore**, there was
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