In a tale of contrasting fortunes, French driver Pierre Gasly experienced a significant shift in his performance, going from earning his first podium with his new team at Zandvoort to a challenging race at Monza. Alongside his teammate Esteban Ocon, they found themselves finishing almost a lap down and outside the points.
Gasly openly acknowledged that Alpine had anticipated a tough weekend at Monza due to the circuit’s characteristics, which did not align with the strengths of their A523 car. This challenge has highlighted the need for the team to develop a more well-rounded car for the upcoming season.
The struggles at Monza were evident as both Gasly and Ocon failed to progress beyond Q1 in qualifying. Their difficulties persisted during the race, particularly in terms of straight-line speed, a critical factor on a circuit where around 80% of the lap is spent at full throttle.
As Alpine lost further ground to McLaren in the Constructors’ Championship, attention now shifts to the French team’s efforts to turn the situation around. Gasly provided a glimmer of hope, mentioning that Alpine has upcoming upgrades in the pipeline.
“I think we will have another update coming quite soon, so we’ll have to see,” Gasly revealed when asked about which circuits might favor Alpine’s performance for the remainder of the season.
In summary, Pierre Gasly’s optimism for Alpine’s future performance shines through as the team faces challenges at Monza. The promise of upcoming upgrades offers hope for improved results in the remaining races, and the team’s focus is firmly set on turning their fortunes around in the competitive world of Formula 1.