Gasly in the hot seat: Will he jump ship as Alpine hits rock bottom?

As the Formula 1 paddock prepares for the season opener in Bahrain, Pierre Gasly is candid about his position in the 2025 driver market amidst Alpine’s performance struggles. With Alpine potentially dropping to the bottom of the pack, even behind Haas, the team faces significant challenges.

Ayao Komatsu, Haas’s new boss, expressed optimism about their progress, contrasting it with last year’s situation. “We are much more in the mix now,” Komatsu told Ekstra Bladet newspaper. “Last year after the very first long run I thought ‘Oh my God, we are completely out of it’. I’m not saying our baseline car is great, because it isn’t. You can tell in high-speed corners that it lacks a lot of downforce. But at least it’s a stable base.”

Conversely, Alpine’s 2024 prospects seem dim, with Auto Motor und Sport reporting the team falling behind competitors like Williams, Sauber, and RB. The magazine also mentioned potential shifts among Alpine’s high-ranking engineers, indicating a tumultuous time for the team.

Gasly, whose contract is up for renewal, remains optimistic but realistic about his future. Speaking to RTBF, he said, “For the future, I’m not worried. I have to try to find the project that will give me the maximum chance of achieving my objectives. I’m committed to this team and I see a lot of positive changes. But beyond that, we need to perform. I’m 28 years old. Like everyone around me at Enstone and Viry, I really hope it can work.”

He acknowledged the current situation and the ongoing discussions about his contract, emphasizing the wait-and-see approach as the season begins. “As you mentioned, I’m at the end of my contract and there are of course discussions. But for the moment, we will wait and see how things evolve in these first races,” Gasly noted.

Despite the team’s struggles, Gasly defended the significant changes made to the car, highlighting the exhaustive testing and the team’s acknowledgment of their starting point. “On the one hand, we tested a lot, which is positive. On the other hand, we don’t necessarily understand everything about this new car, which is normal,” he explained. Gasly’s comments reflect a mix of hope and realism, recognizing the uphill battle Alpine faces. “We need time. We need to work. We know we’re starting from the back, which I think we’ve been quite honest about from the start. We know that there is potential to develop this season and we hope that it will happen as soon as possible. But it might not happen. And it will be a difficult opening race for us,” he admitted, bracing for a challenging start to the season.

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