Pierre Gasly has denied being with a works manufacturer is crucial to his Formula 1 prospects amid reports that Alpine could soon abandon utilising Renault engines.
A report emerged this week that Alpine is considering shutting its engine division in Viry-Chatillon to become a customer team once new rules are introduced in 2026.
Renault has been unable to match rival marques since the V6-turbo hybrid engines were implemented in 2014 and has carried a deficit since an engine freeze in 2022.
Gasly wouldn’t reveal whether the speculation is true, but he was adamant that he harbours complete faith in Alpine’s senior management to make the correct choice.
“Well, on my side obviously the main focus is on my job, which is to deliver the best result and extract the max out of the car performance,” Gasly said.
“On the rest, I think I’m subject and all the conversations are very open with the team and the top management.
“To me, I trust in the decision of the top management and I don’t have any particular worry on that side.
“Things are very clear; I know where I’ve got to focus on and we’ve got a lot of work on the table with the car we’ve got and that’s where all the focus is going into.”
Gasly’s deal with Alpine expires once this season concludes and he is pondering whether to remain with the team or seek pastures new like team-mate Esteban Ocon.
The Frenchman has admitted that the Anglo-French outfit’s decision on its power unit side heading into the upcoming regulation reset will be something he mulls over.
“Obviously everything comes into play, there’s no surprise in that as you would expect,” he outlined.
“But as I’ve said, I think the conversations are very transparent with the team and that’s why I’m happy on that hand.
“On my side personally as a driver, I have no comment to make on such a topic.
“I know where the team stands and that’s what’s important to me and I trust in the conversations we’ve got.”
Gasly experienced being in a customer team during his time in the Red Bull stable and he outlined the obvious restrictions that are imposed with such a partnership.
“Fundamentally being a works team you don’t have any limitation, you set your own limits,” he explained. “And that’s the advantage of being a works team.
“From the moment you work with another party then obviously the regulation is made at this stage that there is a clear parity between all the different parties, especially on the engine side.
“But you lose a bit of the flexibility that you can have as a works team.”
However, Gasly acknowledged that McLaren’s climb to race winners over the last 12 months demonstrates what is attainable despite not being a works operation.
“They’re clearly showing what’s possible to achieve,” he said on McLaren. “You’ve got signs that it’s possible to be competitive even without running your own engine.
“So that’s for sure in the balance, but more globally, I think it’s just important to have all the options on the table and then after I choose the top management to make the right decision for the team.”
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