Mercado Libre's iconic yellow livery returns with BWT Alpine Formula One Team at the Miami and Montreal Grand Prix.
Drivers Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto have spent the recent gap following the Japanese Grand Prix in March hard at work back at the team's Enstone base to develop the A526 as well as taking the opportunity to rest after a busy pre-season.
Franco, in particular, has enjoyed an exciting break. Following a Filming Day at Silverstone, he returned to his home city of Buenos Aires for a spectacular Road Show. In front of a 600,000-strong crowd of passionate Argentine fans, Franco performed high-speed runs and donuts in the race-winning E20 from 2012. In a historic event, he became the first Argentinian to drive a Formula One car on the city streets and the pure joy of the crowd made it a memorable experience.
The team's full focus is now on Miami and competing once again. The Miami International Autodrome is hosting the second Sprint weekend of the year and has become known for being a quintessentially modern Formula One venue. The track, which winds round the Hard Rock Stadium, has a mixture of high-speed flowing corners, long straights, and narrow street-circuit sections. The opening Free Practice 1 session has been extended to 90 minutes and will be the only time drivers have to learn the track in the new generation of cars before Sprint Qualifying on Friday afternoon to determine the grid for Saturday's Sprint Race.
Pierre Gasly: “I am feeling very excited to go racing again. It feels a long time ago since Japan and now I am ready to be back in the car, competing and hopefully continuing from where we left off from Suzuka in terms of competitiveness. It has been quite refreshing to spend some time in one place without the stress of travelling around so much. I have been with family and friends at times, which has been great as we're often quite limited on time when it comes to these things during a normal season. I even had chance to go to watch some football, a passion of mine, with a trip to Paris to watch the Champions League and a visit to Liverpool to see Anfield for the first time. Now my focus is back on racing and doing the best job possible in Miami. It will be really interesting to see what everyone brings in terms of upgrades. We, of course, want to resume from where we ended in Japan and that means being well in the mix for Q3 and points. I know the team at Enstone has worked very hard on bringing performance to the car and I look forward to being back in the A526 this weekend. It's a Sprint event so it is important we maximise Free Practice 1 and then execute every session perfectly from then. In the end, we want points and that is our target.”
Franco Colapinto: “After the gap following Suzuka, it's really nice to be getting ready for another race week, especially for such a unique place like Miami! As a team we did some valuable work during the break on the Simulator, we had a productive Filming Day at Silverstone in the A526 and, of course, the amazing Road Show in Buenos Aires! I still can't believe how special it was to drive a Formula One car at home. The fans were so supportive, and it was beautiful to do this for them. But now, my full focus is on Miami and the Sprint weekend ahead of us. We have a longer FP1 on Friday which will be very helpful to understand our car ahead of a very full-on weekend. I've not raced in Miami before, so this session is very important for me to learn the circuit before we enter Sprint Qualifying in the afternoon and the rest of the weekend. I am excited for the challenge and to be back racing! Our goal, as usual, is to do the best job possible and to resume the season with another points finish.”
Steve Nielsen: “In Formula One terms, having a month away from racing is very unusual. That being said, it has been an exceptionally busy few weeks for the team as we prepare to resume the season in Miami this weekend. We have had a competitive start in 2026 with points scored at each round and that continues to be our intention at every event. We know our rivals will have worked hard on upgrades so it will be interesting to see some of the differences on Friday when we're on track once again. And, rest assured, we have equally spent the time to review the strengths and weaknesses of our package and worked tirelessly to fast-track some items for Miami this weekend in order to, hopefully, stay in the fight for points. The drivers have spent some time at the factory in preparation and it was great to see Franco return home to Buenos Aires at the weekend in what looked like a spectacular demo event in one of our old cars. I am sure that would have re-energised him and given him the motivation to perform on track when we return to racing this weekend. Pierre too has been busy preparing and he is as hungry as ever to resume from where he left off and protect his 100% points scoring streak so far this year. We have an additional 30mins of Practice on Friday before the fast-paced nature of the Sprint weekend begins. We have to be on it and ready straight away and we look forward to going to Miami and giving it our best.”
Mercado Libre's handshake logo will once again appear on the engine cover and rear wing of the A526 car, driven by Franco Colapinto and Pierre Gasly at the Miami and Montreal circuits.
Mercado Libre and BWT Alpine Formula One Team announce the return of the company's colours and logo to Formula 1 on the A526 car, just one week after the historic Road Show in Buenos Aires, which brought together 600,000 people. Mercado Libre's signature yellow will be back on track during the next two Grands Prix of the season: Miami and Montreal.
“We're very excited to see Mercado Libre's yellow back on track. This is our third year in Formula 1, and we're experiencing an incredible moment, connecting with the passion of millions of Latin American fans. As a brand, it's very special to be part of this phenomenon and the culture and excitement that this competition generates,” said Sean Summers, EVP and CMO of Mercado Libre.
Guy Martin, BWT Alpine Formula One Team Global Marketing Director added: “Mercado Libre have been an exceptional partner in supporting the Franco Colapinto Road Show last weekend in Buenos Aires, which drew a record-breaking number of fans and showcased the incredible passion for our sport. Our partnership with Mercado Libre has given us a natural opportunity to connect with audiences in Latin America, a region that has historically had a strong link to Formula 1 and is currently experiencing remarkable growth. Races on the American continent provides the ideal stage to continue strengthening that connection.”
Franco Colapinto, BWT Alpine Formula One Team driver, also shared: “I'm coming off an unforgettable experience in Buenos Aires – I still can't believe what it felt like to drive a Formula 1 car at home. Now my focus is fully on Miami. We have a very demanding weekend ahead, and getting back in the A526 featuring Mercado Libre's colours makes it even more special. It continues to infuse the passion or racing that Latin America displays so vividly.”
In an environment where speed, precision, and innovation define every result, Mercado Libre's presence in Formula 1 reflects a way of working and competing that is also part of the company's DNA: continuous improvement, global ambition, and a strong connection with Latin American talent making its mark in the pinnacle of motorsport.
