Alpine’s Pierre Gasly wants ‘to be a pain’ for Lando Norris and Max Verstappen in the Formula 1 Bahrain Grand Prix after a sensational qualifying performance.
Gasly, scoreless so far in 2025, put in a stunning effort at the Bahrain International Circuit on Saturday, setting the fifth-fastest time in qualifying.
The Frenchman’s efforts place him ahead of Norris and Verstappen on the grid, who qualified sixth and seventh respectively.
Gasly wants to cause F1’s heav-hitters headaches on Sunday.
“If we can be a pain for these top teams once in a while that’d be great,” Gasly quipped to Sky Sports F1.
“The conditions played well for us and it just shows we’ve got some good potential,” the Frenchman explained.
“I think the window is very narrow, and we’ve got some fast guys behind us.
“Lando and Max can have a little go at each other in the first few laps and leave me out of it, I’m not going to be against that.”
Gasly will benefit from Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s one-place grid penalty and start from fourth rather than fifth.
The Frenchman is keen to “fight” on race day, adding, “Today’s package was good enough to get us to P5 and we’ll try to hold on to it as much as we can.”
Gasly delighted by Alpine progress
Last year’s season-opening Bahrain GP saw Alpine stuck at the back of the field.
The team languished towards the back for several months before a late-season surge saw the Anglo-French squad clinch sixth in the Constructors’ standings.
Circumstances so far in 2025 have prevented Alpine from scoring, but qualifying fifth fastest in Bahrain, less than four-tenths from pole, validates the team’s impressive progress.
“12 months ago, we were absolutely nowhere, we were P20 and struggling, so when I see what I could do today with the car, it just makes me very happy and very proud of what the guys have done so far,” Gasly said.
“The car was really impressive, the front grip was very strong… those last few runs we really managed to nail it and it was so special.
“Before qualifying, we thought we’d be in the fight for P10 or P9 at best, but you always give it your best shot and I really managed to improve from Q1 to Q3.
“Three tenths off pole is quite mental, it was a very good day for us as a team, now we need those first points.”
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