The Alpine A523 was the French constructor's third successive works Formula 1 challenger under the Alpine name, carrying the Renault E-Tech RE23 1.6-litre turbocharged V6 hybrid and competing across all 22 rounds of the 2023 FIA Formula 1 World Championship. Esteban Ocon drove car No. 31 throughout the season, partnered by Pierre Gasly in No. 10. Alpine closed the Constructors' Championship in 6th place with 120 points, 58 of which came from Ocon's car.
Built on an evolved aerodynamic package relative to the A522, the A523 retained the Renault-sourced power unit and ran for the complete 2023 season calendar. Alpine announced in 2023 that from 2026 the team would switch to customer Mercedes power, making all Renault-engined Alpine F1 cars — the A521 through to the A525 — a finite chapter in the constructor's history. The A523 therefore sits at the heart of that story: the third car of the Renault era and a direct predecessor to the final Renault-powered season.
Esteban Ocon, P5 in Australia and the BWT Livery at Its Most Refined
Ocon's best result of the 2023 season arrived at the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne in April, where he finished fifth. He ended the year 12th in the Drivers' Championship with 58 points. On track, the car was immediately identifiable: BWT's princess-pink combined with Alpine's traditional blue produced one of the most visually striking liveries of the era. BWT's pink livery was introduced on the Alpine A521 in 2021, the team's first season under the Alpine name, and reached its most mature form on the A523, with the 2023 iteration considered the most refined version of the combination.
Spark Model's 1:18 Reproduction
Spark Model's 18S-series brings the A523 to 1:18 scale, representing Ocon's No. 31 car as raced across the full 2023 season. Spark's 1:18 Formula 1 releases are produced with high surface detail, capturing the BWT pink-and-blue livery, chassis graphics and season-specification aerodynamic surfaces. The 18S-series occupies a respected position in the collector market, sitting between volume diecast producers and boutique resin specialists — offering season-accurate detail at a scale that displays the car's proportions clearly.
Placing It in the Cabinet
The natural companion piece is Spark's 1:18 Alpine A523 No. 10 Pierre Gasly, completing the 2023 BWT Alpine F1 Team line-up as a matched pair. Collectors building an Ocon arc can extend backward through the Alpine A522 and A521 in No. 31, or further to the Renault R.S.20 from his 2020 return. Those assembling a full 2023 F1 grid in 1:18 will find this model an essential entry for the midfield representation of that season.
