Pierre Gasly is targeting an improved Alpine performance at this weekend’s Dutch Grand Ptix, ahead of new Formula 1 upgrades to the A526.
The French outfit appeared to be able to take the fight to the midfield for a while. However, over the last couple of months, they have experienced a stark decline in competitiveness. Gasly has repeatedly expressed his frustration with their lack of pace. The team appears to be lacking pace both over a single lap and over the course of a race.
At the Hungarian Grand Prix, the Frenchman was disappointed to qualify 12th and finish the race in P12 as well. Asked whether he had done anything to mentally reset and had conversations with the team about moving forward, Gasly explained that he still believes Alpine can ‘take the fight’.
“I mean, yeah, you know, it’s as much as you try to hide. I’m a competitive person.” Gasly told media including Motorsport Week.
“I work really hard to be competitive. And yeah, it’s fair to say I was disappointed and a bit frustrated towards the end of the first part of the season. I think it’s more seeing us slowly drag away from the top 10.
“But at the same time, you know, we always knew it was going to be a development race and got to trust in our process. And I still believe we can take the fight.”
‘Everything’s possible’
Despite the team’s decline, Gasly has had strong moments in 2026. The Frenchman currently sits tenth in the Drivers’ Standings with 42 points. Additionally, outperforming his teammate Franco Colapinto has become the norm for the 30-year-old. But in a sport as brutal as F1, simply outperforming one’s teammate is not enough. With the competitiveness among drivers, there is no doubt that Gasly is hungry for more points and podiums.
“So as I say, it’s going to be important to have the performance with this new package.” he continued.
“And yeah, I’m feeling good. I mean, we still have plenty of races to score points. It’s not the first time we’re facing this situation. There are going to be plenty more opportunities to score big points. I still remember ’24 and what happened in Brazil. You know, until the last race, everything’s possible.
“But as a team, I think it’s definitely quite important for all of us to make sure we get that jump of performance with this upgrade.”
The Frenchman referred back to the 2024 season, when the Sao Paulo Grand Prix was one of its highlights. In a wet race filled with chaos, the most unpredictable podium came in the form of Max Verstappen taking the win after starting from P17, and most surprisingly, a double Alpine podium. With both Gasly and then-teammate Esteban Ocon standing on the podium steps, it was a moment to remember.
Keeping the mentality of ‘everything is possible ‘ could prove fruitful for the Frenchman heading into the second part of the season.
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