The significant difficulties faced by the Alpine Formula 1 team during the Hungarian Grand Prix weekend have only reinforced—if not outright confirmed—a problem already highlighted bluntly by French driver Pierre Gasly with a short, direct assessment: “We are simply too slow.”
It is a simple yet unrelenting issue that led the team to finish at the very back of the field. But this disappointing result also stems from another factor: the incredibly close nature of the current Formula 1 midfield. While such competitiveness adds excitement to the racing spectacle, on circuits like the Hungaroring—where overtaking is notoriously difficult—it tends to result in long DRS trains with virtually no opportunity for drivers to make up positions.
In fact, the only variable that could have disrupted the predictability of the race outcome was rain, which ultimately never arrived. Even strategic variation did not help: Pierre Gasly opted for a one-stop strategy, while teammate Franco Colapinto attempted a two-stop approach—neither proving effective in changing the team’s fortunes.
Pierre Gasly’s race: frustration with a car that lacks trust
Pierre Gasly’s Hungarian Grand Prix was further hampered by a 10-second time penalty handed down in the final stages of the race, following a collision with Carlos Sainz while the two were battling for 15th position. The stewards deemed Gasly responsible for the incident. Although he initially crossed the finish line in 17th place, the penalty demoted him to 19th and last, just behind his teammate Franco Colapinto, who was classified 18th.
“We can’t be satisfied with the final result today, even if it felt like our execution was fairly solid,” Gasly explained after the race.
“In the end, we’re just too slow. In the last two weekends, we managed to maximise changing conditions and came away with two good results. But this was a more conventional race that exposed all our weaknesses. That said, there were some fun wheel-to-wheel battles and overall, I actually enjoyed the racing itself. I’m here to compete, not to give up, and I gave everything in every fight on track.”
Last place and Alpine’s battle with Haas
Pierre Gasly’s sixth-place finish at Silverstone and tenth place at Spa-Francorchamps had allowed Alpine to collect valuable championship points. However, after Hungary, the French team now finds itself 15 points behind Haas in the Constructors’ Championship battle for ninth place.
If Alpine wants to stay competitive with the American team and consistently return to the points-scoring positions, it will need to make meaningful progress in the coming races. The current pace is simply not enough to challenge on merit.
Franco Colapinto still chasing his first points finish
For Franco Colapinto, the hunt for his first points finish in Formula 1 continues. However, the Argentine rookie can draw some encouragement from his performance in qualifying at the Hungaroring, where he reached Q2 and, for the first time since the Canadian Grand Prix, outqualified his teammate Pierre Gasly.
Unfortunately, his race was compromised by two slow pit stops and long stints stuck in a DRS train, which effectively neutralised any chance of climbing through the field.
“Today wasn’t one of our best days, and it was a tough race for us as a team,” Colapinto said after the Grand Prix. “At times, the pace was decent when I had clean air, and I felt we made a good step forward with the car, which gave me some confidence.”
“But with blue flags and time lost in the pit lane, our potential was quite limited today. I had a good launch off the line, but we lost positions during the first lap and dropped back. I struggled with rear grip and tyre degradation, which came back again later in the race.
We opted for a two-stop strategy, but unfortunately, we had issues during both pit stops, meaning we were stationary longer than expected. As a team, we’ve usually been very solid with our pit stops lately, but these things happen in racing.”
Hungary reveals Alpine’s weaknesses – a wake-up call for the rest of the season
The Hungarian Grand Prix marked the final race before the summer break, and it did nothing but expose the full extent of Alpine’s technical and performance limitations. While disappointing, this race could serve as a wake-up call and motivation for the French team to work harder and improve steadily, race by race, especially with the major regulation changes set for 2026 in mind.
Will they succeed? That remains uncertain. But each and every team member—from mechanics to engineers to upper management—must believe in the project and give maximum effort. The stakes are even higher now, with global automotive giants like Ford and Audi joining the Formula 1 grid in the coming years. For Alpine, the fight is no longer just for points—it’s also about brand image and long-term credibility.
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