Alpine driver Pierre Gasly is hoping for a strong performance in the upcoming Azerbaijan Grand Prix, as he looks to put his Australian Grand Prix disappointment behind him. Gasly, who collided with teammate Esteban Ocon during the race, resulting in a double retirement, joked that his flight back to Europe was filled with members of the self-branded “Loser Club” after they were joined by fellow retirees George Russell and Charles Leclerc.
Despite the disappointment in Australia, Gasly took heart from the team’s performance, with both he and Ocon having been competitive throughout the race before the incident. Gasly said that he was “very, very happy and impressed” with the performance they showed, and is looking forward to building on that momentum in Baku.
Alpine have been working hard in the break between races, with Gasly spending time at the team’s Enstone base working in their simulator. Gasly confirmed that upgrades are coming for the team in Baku, and he hopes that they will be able to close the gap to the top four teams of Red Bull, Aston Martin, Mercedes, and Ferrari.
Gasly said that the team is feeling positive and optimistic heading into the race, and that their target is to “get into that fight for the top four in the Constructors'”. With a hectic schedule of 10 rounds in 14 weeks ahead of them, Gasly is hopeful that Alpine can continue to improve and compete at the top level.
