Alpine has experienced a difficult beginning to its 2025 Formula 1 campaign, finding itself near the bottom of the standings despite a surprising sixth place finish in last year’s Constructors’ Championship. The team‘s struggles echo the start of the 2024 season, when Alpine hovered around ninth place until a breakthrough double podium at the São Paulo Grand Prix, driven by Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon, helped elevate them into the midfield battle.
This season, Alpine is navigating major changes, including a driver switch after the Miami Grand Prix, with Franco Colapinto replacing Jack Doohan, and leadership turnover following the departure of Team Principal Oliver Oakes. Oakes left amid scandal involving his brother’s criminal charges in the United Kingdom, prompting Senior Advisor Flavio Briatore to step in as acting Team Principal. After a tough race at the Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal, Alpine is now looking to improve its fortunes at the upcoming Austrian Grand Prix held in the Styrian hills.
Gasly Emphasizes Importance of Recovery at Austrian Track
Pierre Gasly, who currently drives for Alpine, acknowledged the difficulties faced in Canada and expressed determination to rebound in Austria. He highlighted how critical qualifying results are in modern racing, explaining that a poor qualifying session and a pit lane start compromised his race at Montreal.
After a disappointing race in Canada we know we have some work to do, especially as our close rivals again claimed points in the race,
said Gasly.
I think our race was compromised by Qualifying as we know how important track position is these days. The car had some pace, we just did not get it right on the second new set of Softs on Saturday and that left us out in Q1 and then we had a Pit Lane start so it was always going to be an uphill battle from there.
—Pierre Gasly, Alpine Driver
Preparing intensively for the upcoming Austrian and British Grand Prix double-header, Gasly spent time with the team at their Enstone factory. He described the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg as a fast, intense circuit featuring high-speed corners and strong braking zones, making it a challenging track despite having only ten corners.
I have been at the factory with the team to debrief and also to prepare Austria and Silverstone for this double-header. Spielberg is the shortest lap time of the season and that makes it very intense,
Gasly added.
It has a lot of high-speed corners and hard braking zones which, despite only ten corners, makes it a challenging lap. We will aim to be on the pace from the outset and have a competitive weekend.
—Pierre Gasly, Alpine Driver
Colapinto Sees Potential at Red Bull Ring Despite Early Struggles
Franco Colapinto, Alpine’s newest driver, expressed cautious optimism about the A525 car’s capabilities after their recent difficulties at Montreal. He pointed to steady progress throughout the Canadian Grand Prix weekend and stressed the importance of continued development.
It was not the result that we wanted from the weekend in Canada, but we made good progress session by session and showed we had potential in the car,
Colapinto said.
We just need to keep working hard and keep making steps in the right direction ahead of Austria this weekend.
—Franco Colapinto, Alpine Driver
Colapinto is familiar with the Austrian circuit, having finished on the podium in last year’s Formula 2 Feature Race at the Red Bull Ring. He described the track as a true driver’s circuit requiring precision and a smooth, consistent rhythm, especially given its short lap times.
It is a track I know well from racing in junior series, most recently, securing a podium in last year’s Formula 2 Feature Race. It’s a real drivers’ circuit, meaning you need to nail everything and keep a good, consistent flow as it’s such a short lap time. The pressure will be on to make sure we maximize everything in Qualifying to give us the best possible chance of securing points in the race.
—Franco Colapinto, Alpine Driver
This Austrian Grand Prix marks Colapinto’s fifth race in the A525, fulfilling the initial commitment made by Alpine when he was brought in following Miami.
Off-Track Moments and F1: The Movie Premiere in New York City
While Alpine’s results on the track remain the top priority, Gasly and Colapinto recently enjoyed a memorable off-track experience in New York City. Both drivers attended the world premiere of F1: The Movie, which they described as a surreal yet exciting event that added a unique highlight to their 2025 season.
Finally, it was very cool, and surreal, to go to New York City for the world premiere of F1: The Movie. It’s out in cinemas this week and I can tell you, I’ve been really impressed with how Formula One have pulled it off,
Gasly said.
I personally really like the film, and I can’t wait to see what the fans think. To have walked the red
carpet with Brad Pitt though, wow, that was incredible and a memory I will hold for a long time.
Away from track last week, we made a stopover in New York City for the premiere of F1: The Movie. It was a once in a lifetime experience to walk the red carpet in Times Square and meet Brad Pitt. Safe to say, it will be a day I’ll never forget. The movie will be talk of the paddock this weekend and I am excited for everyone to see it,
Colapinto added.
Pressure to Deliver Points at Spielberg
Despite enjoying the movie premiere and the break from the intense racing schedule, both Alpine drivers remain focused on the critical objective ahead: securing valuable points for their team at the Austrian Grand Prix. Alpine’s current standing demands consistent performances, and Gasly and Colapinto are determined to bring the team back into contention.
On track, we remain very focused and we know we need to pull everything together across the weekend in Spielberg to score some all-important points for the team,
emphasized Colapinto.
With a new lineup behind the wheel and renewed leadership efforts led by Flavio Briatore, Alpine’s weekend at the Red Bull Ring represents a vital opportunity to regain momentum and demonstrate competitiveness in the 2025 season.
