Pierre Gasly appeared extremely tense and disheartened during the Formula 1 race weekend in Budapest, fully aware that he is currently driving a car that is far from competitive. The French driver knows he has virtually no chance of scoring points unless unexpected external factors—such as rain—come into play. With that in mind, his focus is already shifting toward 2026, a year when the Formula 1 technical regulations will undergo a significant transformation.
“What didn’t work this weekend? The rain didn’t come.”
This sarcastic comment from Pierre Gasly after the 2025 Hungarian Grand Prix paints a clear and honest picture of Alpine’s current state in Formula 1.
Unlike its direct rivals, the Alpine A525 has not improved enough to allow its drivers to consistently fight for points. Only chaotic or unusual race conditions—such as those affected by heavy rain—have allowed the French team’s cars to climb the order. In Budapest, however, the race took place in completely dry conditions.
Gasly’s frustration was evident not only in the paddock but also on track, where it reached its peak during the final stages of the race. The French driver aggressively battled Carlos Sainz of Williams, going so far as to make contact. It was a move unusually forceful for Pierre Gasly, who later explained himself in a brief and defensive manner.
“I was just battling with Carlos Sainz. I’m not going to give up my position so easily. I tried to go around the outside. I defended, we touched—it happened. I really don’t have much to say about it.”
Despite his visible irritation and lack of optimism, Pierre Gasly maintained that he was satisfied with his own performance during the race—if not with the final result. The potential of the A525 remains extremely limited, even when compared to other struggling teams such as Sauber, Williams, and Haas.
“What can I say about the race? It went very well from my point of view. It’s just about where we are in terms of car performance. We started on the hard tyres, made a single pit stop, and I completed 37 laps on the medium compound.”
“I defended against Nico Hülkenberg for 15 laps, defended against the Williams drivers and others too. I tried to overtake a few cars. I’d say it went well, all things considered.”
Even before the race, Pirelli—through Mario Isola—had already indicated that a two-stop strategy would be the fastest option, potentially around 10 seconds quicker than a single stop. However, Alpine opted for a one-stop approach, understanding that only an alternative strategy could offer a realistic chance of gaining positions in a car that lacks pace.
“We knew that a single stop wasn’t what we ideally wanted to do at the start. But with the race pace we have, we really had no choice but to try something different.”
By now, the entire Alpine team has clearly shifted its attention to the future. Although the 2025 Formula 1 season is only halfway through, it is already proving to be a long and difficult campaign. Pierre Gasly, too, is looking forward to January, as he sees very little worth salvaging from this year.
“I just want to focus on 2026. I want to work well with my team to prepare for next season. I want to concentrate on my driving, taking it one session at a time. I’ll try to achieve the best possible results for the team. In the end, in the bigger picture, we must ensure we’re in a much better position next season than we are now.”
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