Pierre Gasly has firmly dismissed ongoing rumors that Valtteri Bottas will join Alpine for the 2025 Formula 1 season. Speaking with F1 TV, Gasly described these rumors as mere background noise during a challenging year for the Enstone-based team, currently sitting at the bottom of the constructors’ standings.
The Alpine squad has accrued only 19 points so far, all earned by Gasly himself. His initial teammate, Jack Doohan, failed to secure any points before being replaced mid-season by Franco Colapinto, who has also yet to earn points and has been involved in several incidents since his debut. Given Alpine’s persistent difficulties, speculation has grown that the team is considering bringing in a more seasoned driver to join Gasly, with names like Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez mentioned.
Despite this, Gasly downplayed the idea that adding Bottas would improve results, attributing such rumors to the instability from the earlier driver change between Doohan and Colapinto. He highlighted that, even with a less competitive car, he has consistently maximized its potential in a tightly packed midfield where Alpine finds itself at the rear. Gasly urged the team to prioritize enhancing the car’s performance rather than be distracted by outside chatter.
When asked whether Bottas joining Alpine would bring valuable experience to bolster their driver lineup, Gasly said:
“I don’t think that’s the case. I think it’s a lot of noise. I think the car, I’m showing every weekend what we can do with it, doing a very good job on Saturdays and putting it in places that on paper we all agree, we should not really be. It’s just tricky, it’s a very tight midfield and we are at the back of it.”
“There will always be noise, especially considering what happened earlier in the year, but I think at the end of the day we should just focus on the work ahead. It’s going to be a long season. We don’t have upgrades, the car is not in the best place, but all of us need to focus on what we’ve got to do and try and do it the best way that we can,” he added.
Gasly highlights Alpine’s car limitations and the fiercely competitive field
Gasly also addressed Alpine’s broader performance issues in 2025, emphasizing that the team‘s struggles are influenced not only by their car and engine but also by the extremely competitive nature of the present Formula 1 grid. He noted that today, being eight-tenths of a second slower than the fastest car places a team at the back of the grid—a stark contrast to previous years where that gap might have meant a front-row start.
Though Alpine currently lacks the strongest package in terms of chassis and power unit, Gasly expressed cautious optimism about the team’s future progress. He mentioned that while no major performance upgrades are expected this season, there are promising developments underway aimed at a stronger 2026 campaign. This strategic focus, however, means sacrificing competitiveness in 2025, which remains a challenging year.
Gasly commented on Alpine’s situation, saying:
“It’s easy to make it sound more dramatic than it is. I think it’s just a very tough field. You look a couple of years back, being eight [or] nine-tenths off the fastest car would put you sixth, seventh on the grid. This year being eight [or] nine-tenths slower than the fastest car puts you on the back row. I think everyone has done a very good job, we know the strengths and weaknesses of our package. We don’t have the strongest car, we don’t have the strongest engine – both combined doesn’t put us in a very good spot.”
“But I see a lot of good stuff happening in the team in terms of trying to get the maximum we can. We know the focus is on 2026 and it comes with some compromises on this year, which are tough to take, but hopefully we see the dividends next year,” he added.
Alpine’s leadership changes and midfield battles intensify pressure
Alpine is currently navigating a transition period, with Flavio Briatore acting as interim team principal following Oliver Oakes’ departure for personal reasons. The team remains in search of a permanent leader, and speculation has surfaced about Christian Horner, recently removed from his position at Red Bull, potentially taking the helm.
On the driver front, Alpine’s experiment with switching between Jack Doohan and Franco Colapinto has not delivered points, as both drivers remain scoreless in 2025. This lack of success has led to increased discussions about recruiting a more experienced driver to support Gasly, with Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez among those considered.
Meanwhile, Alpine’s midfield rivals Williams and Sauber have surged ahead, reinforcing their positions in the championship and leaving Alpine trailing at the rear of the pack. This situation has intensified pressure on Alpine’s management and drivers to make timely strategic decisions aimed at halting their decline during this difficult season.
Gasly’s focus remains on maximizing current potential despite challenges
Throughout the ongoing season, Pierre Gasly has maintained a pragmatic approach in the face of Alpine’s difficulties. His performance has demonstrated the effort to extract every ounce of competitiveness out of the current car, despite its shortcomings and lack of upgrades. While the near-term outlook looks tough, Gasly’s emphasis remains on steady progress and team cohesion.
With Alpine mired at the bottom of the constructors’ standings, the team’s strategic moves during the remainder of 2025, particularly in driver lineup and leadership, will be critical to shaping their future direction. The race to secure more effective solutions is underway as Alpine aims to rebuild and position itself better for the highly anticipated 2026 season.
