The dream continues. After the double podium in Brazil, Alpine surprises again in Las Vegas, but this time on a dry track. Repeating the feats of São Paulo is undoubtedly almost impossible, but that doesn’t detract from the French team’s ability to enjoy their successes, especially thanks to today’s third place in qualifying by Pierre Gasly.
A third place, about three tenths from the top, achieved not by chance but due to technical and human factors. As noted in recent weeks, beyond the excellent result in Brazil, Alpine had already shown signs of concrete growth since Austin, where it introduced its second major upgrade package of the season after the one at the start of the year in China.
After suffering from a lack of significant updates mid-season, the package debuted in Austin brought new life to the A524, addressing some of the car’s weak points. The increase in the car’s total aerodynamic load, particularly from the floor, also helped improve stability and resolve certain balance issues that had significantly impacted the season.
“It’s incredible the work done as a team. In Bahrain, we were on the last row, but now, in recent weeks, there’s been a real transformation. I’m truly happy and satisfied with the work the team has done in a season where everything seemed impossible,” Pierre Gasly said.
“In today’s qualifying, I must admit that we never thought we’d be able to enter the top three, but I managed to deliver a special lap at the right moment at the end of Q3,” added the French driver, who in recent weekends has regained a better feeling with the car, thanks in part to updates that have contributed on multiple fronts. It’s no secret that Pierre Gasly didn’t gel with the A524 at the start of the season, even relying on differential setups from teammate Esteban Ocon. The recent updates, combined with the team’s work to better understand tire performance, have helped restore confidence and align the car more closely with his preferences.
Last year, Alpine also surprised in Las Vegas with a strong qualifying performance and a race where they stood out in the midfield, despite concerns about the Renault power unit’s limitations, which had already been evident in Monza. However, by late 2023, the French team worked effectively to understand the limitations of their car with low-downforce setups, securing fifth in qualifying with Pierre Gasly and fourth in the race with Esteban Ocon.
This year, Alpine has improved even further, securing an impressive third place, thanks in part to an aggressive setup paradoxically designed to address some of its limitations. The team often opts for lower downforce setups than rivals, and for this event, it confirmed an extremely low-drag wing, which paid off on the straights, achieving the highest speeds among the top 10.
For example, on the Strip’s straight, Pierre Gasly reached 354 km/h, a full 7 km/h faster than pole-sitter George Russell, gaining about two tenths in that section. Only Carlos Sainz matched Alpine’s speed, although the Ferrari driver benefited slightly from Lewis Hamilton’s slipstream. These high top speeds also helped offset some of the A524’s limitations, such as in corner three, where its lack of downforce was evident compared to other top teams. However, Alpine still managed to hold its own without looking out of place in the slower sections, particularly against a McLaren that struggled to find its rhythm.
“We opted for a rather aggressive aerodynamic package, so we’re running with very little downforce on this track. We’re trying to maximize speed on the straights, but it obviously makes life a bit tougher in the corners,” added the Frenchman, confirming the setup choice, which clearly paid off in qualifying.
From the start, Pierre Gasly found an excellent feeling with the car, even in FP1 when the track surface was still dirty. Despite the objective challenges of dealing with a cold and slippery circuit, the Frenchman quickly found the references needed to make a difference, at least on single-lap performance. Moreover, the absence of bouncing—a recurring issue for the A524 in other races—allowed him to build confidence without needing to raise the car’s ride height.
“I felt good with the car from FP1. FP2 went well. FP3 went well. And then in Q3, we managed to make everything work even with just one set of new tires. So, there was definitely good pace. And yes, for now, I’m very satisfied. Obviously, it’s only qualifying, but I think it’s probably the first time I’ve qualified in the top three, so it’s something special.”
Now he faces the real challenge: tomorrow’s race. After free practice, Gasly admitted to feeling better on single-lap runs than in long-distance pace, partly due to front-end graining, an issue that has affected nearly all teams. Last year, strategic decisions made it difficult for Pierre Gasly to manage graining on the hard tires, while Esteban Ocon found a better rhythm and finished fourth. This time, Pierre Gasly hopes to reverse that trend and secure important points for Alpine in the constructors’ championship, where the team is battling Haas and Racing Bulls for sixth place.
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