19/08/2025 11:05
Pierre Gasly, now into his ninth season racing in F1, finds himself
leading forward an Alpine team that stands on the precipice of a
leap into the unknown. Team Enstone is foregoing its works status
for the 2026 season, ceasing the development of its in-house
Renault power unit to become a Mercedes customer. It will be a
pivotal moment in the history of the storied team, which has won
championships under two previous guises, and with Gasly taking on
the bulk of the heavy lifting from its driver line-up, the
Frenchman is best placed to capitalise, or pay, for the upcoming
turning point. The one-time grand prix winner has flourished at
Alpine, developing from an undeniably quick talent whilst in the
Red Bull family earlier in his career into one of the pre-eminent
forces of F1's tensely tight midfield. As one of the few drivers to
thrive in F1 after being part of the Milton Keynes squad, Gasly has
not just charted a course for others to follow, but he has built
himself into the complete package and someone Alpine can build
around. When asked to contrast and compare the Gasly of Red Bull to
the Gasly of now, as part of an exclusive interview with
RacingNews365 , the 29-year-old shared how he is relishing his
leadership role. "Yeah, I think it's being more aware of... many
things," he said. "I've always had the speed. Then, you need the
consistency, you need the team to work; [you] need to work for the
team, but then the team to work for you. "And by both having this
type of mentality, you get more out of the team and get more out of
yourself, the package, etc. "So, yeah, I must say, I'm pleased I
have more responsibilities in the team, more leadership.
"Obviously, with Jack [Doohan] and Franco [Colapinto], it puts more
weight on myself, which I like, and also the team, we're all
driving in the direction which suits me to just perform and get the
best out of the car." Eyes fixed forward With Alpine rooted to the
foot of the constructors' standings, much hinges on the looming F1
regulations overhaul - and with the power unit side of the equation
outsourced, the team can focus on executing on the chassis rules.
Gasly, who has scored all 20 of the French outfit's points this
season, does not expect things to improve over the course of the
current campaign, given the monomanical focus on 2026. However, he
does have faith in the long-term project. He has previously
insisted he is capable of winning drivers' titles if given the
right machinery, and team adviser Flavio Briatore expects Mercedes
to power the team to victories next year - and championships
thereafter. "I must say, I'm happy [with] the way I work with the
team," Gasly said. "I'm very competitive, and regardless of the
performance of the car, you can say it's frustrating at times,
because, obviously, I'm not in F1 to fight for some P15s or tenth
place. "But, at the end of the day, I'm with the team for a longer
project. I believe in the project. I know where we're heading, I
know we are making a lot of good changes. "And, fortunately, that's
just a step on the way, which is not the most pleasant, but I'm
sure we'll come out stronger as a team." Ultimately, Gasly believes
sacrificing now will be fruitful for the team when the regulations
change over the winter. "A lot of the stuff we are building,
questioning in what we're doing, changing, I'm sure, will pay
dividends in the future," he added. "Now we have the car we've had
since Barcelona. We can't expect to suddenly make a miracle with
where we are, and we knew it when we decided to have this strategy
for '26."
