Alpine makes new announcement after Spanish Grand Prix

Alpine has confirmed that former Mercedes stalwart Mike Elliott is to join the team as chief technical officer.

Alpine made that major announcement in the aftermath of the Spanish Grand Prix. Elliott most recently held the same title at the Mercedes Formula 1 team.

Alpine announces Mike Elliott signing

The deal to bring the 52-year-old in marks a major coup for Alpine.

Elliott most recently worked with Mercedes as chief technical officer, ahead of his departure in October 2023.

Alpine has confirmed that Elliott is returning to Enstone to ‘oversee the technical and engineering functions at the team’s factory’ in his capacity as chief technical officer.

Elliott is no stranger to the ‘Team Enstone’ squad which now operate under the Alpine name.

After eight years working with McLaren, rising to lead aerodynamic performance, Elliott joined Renault in 2008 as principal aerodynamicist. He remained for the Lotus transition, before moving on to Mercedes in 2012.

He spent more than a decade with the Silver Arrows, eventually working his way up to the technical director position, succeeding James Allison.

Elliott and Allison would swap roles in 2023, as Mercedes strived for a performance breakthrough in the ground effect era. That saw the former become chief technical officer.

Almost three years on from his Mercedes departure, the Brit is set to return to Formula 1 with Alpine.

He has contributed to a total of eight Constructors’ and eight Drivers’ title wins so far in his illustrious Formula 1 career, as the next chapter with Alpine is confirmed.

Alpine states that the arrival of Elliott ‘strengthens the team’s technical capabilities’ as it ‘looks to build on the improved performances on track and close the gap to the top four teams’. Those teams in question are Mercedes, McLaren, Ferrari and Red Bull.

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Alpine claimed a shock pole position at the 2026 Italian Grand Prix courtesy of Pierre Gasly. Last time out at the first Madring-hosted Spanish Grand Prix, Franco Colapinto brought his Alpine A526 home in P7, ahead of McLaren’s Oscar Piastri.

F1 2026 marks the first year of customer team status for Alpine, after Renault pulled the plug on its power unit programme. A sharp improvement in form has followed.

Having scored just 22 points in 2025, leaving the team at the foot of the Constructors’ standings, Alpine already has 68 points on the board in F1 2026. That places Alpine P6 in the current Constructors’ Championship standings.

The team is headed by executive advisor and de facto team principal Flavio Briatore – who led Renault to its 2005 and 2006 title doubles – and managing director Steve Nielsen.

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