With consistent points finishes in the last two races, Alpine arrives at the Hungarian Grand Prix aiming to strengthen its position despite sitting tenth in the F1 Constructors’ Championship. Pierre Gasly, the driver responsible for securing those points, anticipates an intense race at the Hungaroring and is determined to continue his strong form.
Gasly Reflects on Recent Performances and Race Strategy
Gasly secured points with a sixth-place finish at the British Grand Prix, followed by tenth place at Spa-Francorchamps, which left him satisfied with the team‘s progress going into Hungary. He highlighted how adapting to changing weather played a key role in their success during the Belgian Grand Prix.
I’m pleased to leave Spa with a points finish after we were able to take advantage of changeable conditions once again,
said Gasly in the team’s media preview.
The race was intense, particularly the opening laps, and we made good decisions as a team that allowed us to benefit well. That is now two races in a row in the top-10 so we head to Hungary with some confidence, and it would be great to continue that before we enter the summer break. The Hungaroring is a very different track to Spa, but similarly relentless.
Hungaroring’s Unique Challenge and Gasly’s Approach
Although the Hungaroring demands unrelenting focus due to its fast, connected corners and short straights, Gasly finds it one of the most enjoyable tracks on the calendar. Its layout resembles a go-kart circuit, where maintaining rhythm is crucial from the start of each lap.
I find it one of the most enjoyable circuits on the calendar and it feels like a go-kart track with quick corners all following one another as well as short straights. This makes it a very busy lap so getting into a good rhythm is incredibly important from the outset,
explained Gasly.
We will continue to aim for Q3 this weekend and a further points finish ahead of the summer. The team is working exceptionally hard and I know the break will be a welcome rest for everyone. One more to go before then and we will all be pushing for the best possible outcome.
Franco Colapinto Seeks First Points and Draws Strength from Past Success
Alpine’s other driver, Franco Colapinto, remains optimistic about earning his first points of the season despite recent challenges. He described the Spa weekend as difficult but felt his team made some progress and that small improvements would soon lead to better results.
We had a tricky weekend in Spa-Francorchamps even if it felt like we made some steps forward,
said Colapinto.
It feels like we are just on the wrong end of some very small details, which I am confident will come right soon. Sprint weekends are always a challenge as it is important to be on it straight away. The car lacked grip in Free Practice 1 so we tried to maximise everything in Sprint Qualifying. From then we just tried to keep learning as much as possible and by Qualifying we were very close to reaching Q2. Sunday’s race was interesting with the conditions. We were not well placed to score points but I was pleased for Pierre and the team to finish in tenth and at least collect one point.
Colapinto’s positive confidence is bolstered by his strong record on the Hungaroring, where he earned podium finishes in both the 2022 and 2023 FIA Formula 3 seasons. He believes familiarity with the circuit and its city atmosphere will motivate him this weekend.
We will keep our heads down and work hard to bring everything together for this weekend in Hungary. I have celebrated a few podiums at the Hungaroring in my junior career and it is a track and city which I enjoy so I’m looking forward to getting out on track,
he added.
As the final race ahead of the summer break we will be hoping to bring in some positive results for the team before everyone takes some well-deserved time off for a few weeks.
Team Standings and Future Prospects
Currently, Alpine holds tenth place in the F1 Constructors’ Championship with 20 points, all contributed by Gasly. The team trails ninth-place Haas by 15 points but remains hopeful, recalling how a single strong weekend last season significantly shifted the standings.
As the team approaches Hungary, the focus is on maximizing opportunities at this demanding circuit and finishing the first half of the season on a positive note before the summer break. Gasly and Colapinto both emphasize the importance of hard work and seizing chances to climb the leaderboard in the coming race.
