Alpine F1 team announce 2026 driver return

Photo: © IMAGO

Alpine

Alpine F1 team announce 2026 driver return

The team are still making moves through the off-season

Chris Deeley Editor

Experienced sports writer covering F1 and other motorsports since 2023

Thursday 15 January 2026 08:43

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Alpine have confirmed that they will retain one of their drivers for 2026, in the same week that they released Jack Doohan from their F1 program.

Dutch F1 Academy star Nina Gademan will continue to represent the team in the all-female series in 2026, after a promising first full year in 2025.

Gademan had left the third race weekend of the season in Miami without a podium finish in five races, but turned things around with a pair of third-place finishes in Montreal.

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A win on home soil in Zandvoort followed shortly after, before ending the season with second and seventh place finishes in Las Vegas to stack up sixth overall in the drivers' championship.

Gademan aiming for 2026 glory

Gademan will leave Prema this year though, instead heading for home with Dutch-based MP Motorsport.

“I’m really happy to be part of the MP Motorsport family for next year”, she said. “They have been strong performers in F1 Academy from the start, and it’s always an advantage to race with your home team.

“With the experience and circuit knowledge that I gained this year, I feel that I am ready to challenge for more wins and the title in 2026. The team and I aim to use the winter ahead to fully prepare ourselves for the season kick-off at Shanghai in March, when I hope you will see me fighting right at the front.”

The F1 Academy season will kick off in mid-March with a pair of races in Shanghai, before heading to to Jeddah for the next round in April.

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