Pierre Gasly has admitted that Alpine’s decision to overhaul its Formula 1 technical structure came as a “surprise” despite the team’s poor start to the 2024 season.
Ahead of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, Alpine announced that Technical Director Matt Harman and Head of Aerodynamics Dirk de Beer had departed the operation.
Alpine has adopted a three-pronged technical arrangement which has drawn comparisons to the scheme McLaren put in place to overcome its struggles last season.
The Enstone-based squad has endured a tumultuous start to the latest campaign with an overweight and uncompetitive A524, a complete revamp from its predecessor.
Despite conceding it was braced for a sluggish opening, Alpine Team Principal Bruno Famin expressed that it was a “shock” its cars locked out the back row in Bahrain.
However, Gasly remains upbeat about the team’s chances of reversing its troubled predicament and has backed the wholesale changes Alpine’s management has made.
“I think time will tell really, it’s not really up to me right now to say whether it was a good or bad thing, it was their decisions,” Gasly said.
“It comes at a time obviously where we clearly underperformed in Bahrain, I trust in Bruno, in Luca [De Meo, Renault CEO], in the people in charge to bring the team forward, as I said I now it’s contradictory but there is a lot of positive change going on inside the team.
“It kind of feels a bit unfair for all the guys working in the background and seeing the performance which doesn’t really reflect on all the efforts going on, but that’s the sport, time will tell.”
The ex-Red Bull has revealed that his optimism for Alpine’s future has derived from seeing positive tweaks in the background that will bear fruit further down the line.
“The example, in terms of operation, the processes, the mentality and self-reflection we have on ourselves, in the studies and feedback and the work we’re doing,” he explained.
“We’re going more into details and trying to really find the last per cent out of everyone, and people are appreciative of that process, and I do see the positive change.
“It doesn’t mean we go two-tenths faster on the race track now as the car doesn’t provide us the grip we need, but mid to long term it’s definitely the direction we’ve got to head to as a team.”
The Frenchman, who is in his second season with Alpine, is adamant that his focus remains on driving but recognises both drivers will have a role in Alpine’s revival.
Asked whether it was a surprise Harman and De Beer resigned, Gasly replied: “It’s always a surprise because I’ve been quite close to also Matt coming inside the team, trying to understand a bit the philosophy, understand the changes we’ve made on this new car, yeah, so obviously comes as a bit of a surprise.
“I obviously knew it slightly before, but at the end of the day I focus on my business, I’ve got to drive the car fast, push the team forward, give them clear feedback, and that’s where my energy goes to and at the moment it needs quite a lot of energy.”
Despite the collective frustration at being stationed at the rear of the grid, Gasly has been impressed with the “united” spirit driving Alpine’s aspiration to improve.
“Everyone’s disappointed but what I like to see is no one is down, everyone wants to see the end of the tunnel, everyone is working on their own bit and trying to improve as much as they can – in the garage, ops room, engineering room, or back at the factory, I feel more united than we’ve ever been and in this situation,” he added.
“It’s more important to stick together and move in the same direction, I do feel everyone is pushing to improve, but Formula 1 it does take time, as much as I hate it because I’m fighting time my entire life, on the race track and off the race track, but I’ll have to be patient.”
