Pierre Gasly once again salvaged a valuable point for Alpine at the 2026 United States Grand Prix, finishing tenth despite significant floor damage and a slow pit stop. Franco Colapinto, meanwhile, suffered his second consecutive retirement following contact with Arvid Lindblad, adding to the team’s frustrations during another difficult Formula 1 weekend at the Circuit of The Americas.
The contrasting results underline a recurring problem for Alpine, which continues to alternate between encouraging performances and disappointing race weekends. The Enstone-based team appears to have a firm grip on sixth place in the Constructors’ Championship, but that position represents a modest return for a season that began with considerably greater ambitions. Above all, Alpine needs both drivers to contribute consistently if it is to make further progress.
Pierre Gasly rescues Alpine points despite severe Austin floor damage
Pierre Gasly remains Alpine’s most dependable performer, once again delivering a points finish in challenging circumstances. The French driver started the United States Grand Prix from tenth position and crossed the finishing line in exactly the same place, despite suffering significant aerodynamic damage following contact with Haas driver Oliver Bearman.
The extent of the damage only became fully apparent after the race, when Pierre Gasly inspected his A526 and discovered that a substantial section of the floor had been lost during the incident.
“When I saw the car after the race, I was surprised by the damage to the right-hand side of the floor. A large amount of carbon fibre was missing,” Pierre Gasly explained.
The missing carbon fibre compromised the car’s aerodynamic performance, making it particularly difficult for Pierre Gasly to defend his position inside the top ten. Nevertheless, he managed to bring the Alpine home and secure another championship point.
The result was particularly valuable given the difficulties experienced throughout the afternoon. Even with the car operating below its potential, Pierre Gasly avoided losing further positions and ensured that Alpine did not leave Austin empty-handed.
A slow pit stop costs Pierre Gasly a possible fight with Liam Lawson
Pierre Gasly’s race was further complicated by a slow pit stop caused by a technical problem. Combined with the damage sustained earlier in the Grand Prix, the delay prevented the French driver from mounting a stronger challenge against Liam Lawson.
“Perhaps I could have fought with Liam Lawson and put him under pressure for ninth place, but today that wasn’t possible,” Pierre Gasly admitted.
Liam Lawson eventually finished ninth for Racing Bulls, one position ahead of Pierre Gasly. Although the Alpine driver believed he might have challenged for another place without the setbacks, his tenth-place finish still represented a solid result in difficult circumstances.
The outcome reinforced Pierre Gasly’s ability to extract points even when his machinery does not allow him to demonstrate its full potential. His consistency continues to provide Alpine with an important foundation as the team navigates an unpredictable season.
Franco Colapinto suffers second consecutive retirement in Austin
Franco Colapinto experienced a very different United States Grand Prix, retiring for the second consecutive race after contact with Arvid Lindblad. The Argentine had started on hard tyres in an attempt to pursue an alternative strategy, but his afternoon was complicated by traffic and significant damage to his car.
The decisive incident occurred as Franco Colapinto found himself caught between two cars approaching Turn 1. Pierre Gasly was on the inside while Arvid Lindblad was positioned on the outside, leaving the Alpine driver with insufficient room to avoid contact.
“I found myself squeezed between two cars heading towards Turn 1, with Pierre Gasly on the inside and Arvid Lindblad on the outside. I had no more room,” Franco Colapinto explained.
The collision caused extensive damage to the floor and sidepods of the A526, eventually forcing Franco Colapinto to retire. His decision to start on the hard compound had been intended to create an alternative strategic opportunity, but the difficulties of racing in traffic and the consequences of the incident prevented that approach from delivering a result.
Although misfortune played a role in the outcome, the retirement added to an increasingly disappointing run for Franco Colapinto. Alpine is still waiting for greater consistency from the Argentine, whose latest weekend ended without a points finish at a time when the team needs contributions from both cars.
Flavio Briatore admits Alpine frustration after United States GP
Flavio Briatore did not attempt to disguise his disappointment after another difficult race for the Enstone-based team. Despite Pierre Gasly managing to secure a point, the overall result fell short of Alpine’s expectations.
“It wasn’t the weekend or the result we expected. Luck hasn’t been on our side recently,” the Italian manager acknowledged.
Flavio Briatore nevertheless recognised Pierre Gasly’s efforts in bringing the damaged Alpine home in tenth place. With the French driver having lost aerodynamic performance through the floor damage, securing a point represented an important recovery from the setbacks encountered during the race.
At the same time, Alpine remains determined to improve its overall competitiveness and bring both cars into the points at the remaining Grands Prix. Achieving that objective will require more consistent performances and fewer interruptions caused by incidents and reliability-related difficulties.
Alpine’s sixth place masks continuing 2026 F1 performance concerns
Alpine remains one of the more difficult teams to assess in the 2026 Formula 1 season. On some weekends, the A526 demonstrates encouraging single-lap potential, only for its competitiveness to decline during the race. On other occasions, a promising start to the weekend gives way to a disappointing result further down the order.
Although sixth place in the Constructors’ Championship appears almost secure, it cannot be considered a fully satisfactory achievement for a team that entered the season with considerably higher expectations. The inconsistency between qualifying and race performance remains an important weakness, while the difference in results between Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto has become another concern.
The championship now moves on to Mexico City, the next round on the 2026 Formula 1 calendar, where Alpine will have another opportunity to improve its results.
For Pierre Gasly, the objective will be to build on another hard-earned points finish. Franco Colapinto, meanwhile, needs a clean and competitive weekend to end his recent run of retirements. Above all, Alpine must find a way to extract more consistent performance from the A526 while ensuring that both drivers can contribute regularly to the Constructors’ Championship.
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