Alpine will rebrand as Gucci Racing when the luxury fashion house becomes the team's title sponsor starting in the 2027 season [1].

This transition marks a significant shift in the team's commercial strategy and brand identity. By partnering with Gucci, Alpine seeks to increase its global visibility and competitiveness, mirroring previous successes Briatore achieved with Benetton and Renault [3].

Flavio Briatore, the team's Executive Advisor, has addressed the current state of the Enstone-based operation. He said the team is focusing on car development and internal processes to close the gap with front-runners. Despite the upcoming rebranding, Briatore provided a blunt assessment of the team's current technical standing compared to the rest of the grid.

"There's not a driver on the grid, not even Max Verstappen, who could erase Alpine's deficit," Briatore said [3].

The agreement, announced on May 28, 2026 [1], will see Gucci replace BWT as the title partner [2]. The partnership connects the high-performance engineering of the U.S.-based team with the luxury branding of Gucci's Paris headquarters [1].

Briatore's role at the team remains a point of discussion. While he is currently guiding the team through this transition and managing driver pressure, he said his own future with the organization remains uncertain [3]. The focus remains on stabilizing performance before the 2027 identity shift takes full effect.

The team continues to work with its current driver lineup, including Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto, as it navigates the technical challenges of the current regulations. Briatore said the priority is reducing the performance deficit through structural and mechanical improvements, rather than relying solely on driver talent [3].

“"There's not a driver on the grid, not even Max Verstappen, who could erase Alpine's deficit."”

The shift to Gucci Racing represents a pivot toward 'lifestyle' branding in Formula 1, where luxury fashion houses seek the prestige of motorsport. However, Briatore's admission regarding the car's deficit suggests that while the team's commercial profile is improving, the technical gap remains a critical hurdle. The success of the 2027 rebrand will depend on whether the team can align its on-track performance with the high-status image of its new title sponsor.