It was driven by Fernando Alonso, marking his return to the sport, and Esteban Ocon.

Alpine ran a special livery for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix to commemorate their 100th race with one of their sponsors Castrol.

[5] During the first practice session in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Alpine's name in the rear wing of both cars was replaced by the phrase "El Plan" (Spanish for "the plan"), referencing an internet meme created by Alonso's fans in the wake of his return to Formula One.

[6][7] The A521 proved to be a competitive car, securing 155 points during the season, allowing Alpine to finish 5th at the Constructors' Championship, picking up a victory and two podiums in the process.

‡ Half points awarded as less than 75% of race distance completed.