Alpine have revealed a stylish new look along with a familiar face as their rebranding from Renault’s Formula 1 team has been completed. 

As well as unveiling a sleek blue, white and red A521 F1 car for 2021 — a far cry from Renault’s traditional yellow and black livery — Alpine CEO Laurent Rossi confirmed that Daniil Kvyat (pictured above) will be the team’s new reserve driver, supporting double world champion Fernando Alonso and Esteban Ocon. 

“Throughout his career, Daniil has forged a reputation as a very quick driver but has also shown great resilience,” Rossi said. 

“We are pleased to have yet another determined and talented driver in our ranks as we make our first F1 campaign as Alpine F1 Team.”

Kvyat, 26, has spent six of the past seven seasons with Red Bull and its associated teams Scuderia Toro Rosso and Alpha Tauri. The Russian driver has made 110 starts in F1, scoring a total of 202 points and gaining three podium finishes.

“I am very happy to join the Alpine F1 Team family,” Kvyat said. “The team had excellent results last year and are at the forefront of what is being done technologically.

You have to stay sharp in the role of reserve driver - Daniil Kvyat

“I will try to bring my experience on and off the track to help develop the A521 and future cars. You have to stay sharp in the role of reserve driver and I look forward to integrating into the team in many different areas.”

While F1 fans will have to wait for pre-season testing in Bahrain on March 12-14 to see how the new car performs on the track, it’s striking new look generated an excited response on social media.

Design director Antony Villain confirmed that the radical colour change is a tilt towards both the French Tricolore and British Union flags, honouring the work of the team’s factories in Viry-Châtillon in the southern suburbs of Paris and Enstone in Oxfordshire.

Villain explained: “When you look at the car from the side, it evokes the French flag. But when you look at it from above, the graphics evoke the British flag.”

After Alpine posted pictures of the A521 on social media, even F1 rivals Aston Martin reacted positively, declaring: “Not gonna lie guys… this is sexy as hell.”