British Grand Prix Qualifying: Gasly Surprises with Q3 Performance
Silverstone, UK — In a remarkable turn of events during qualifying for the British Grand Prix, Alpine’s Pierre Gasly secured P10, a position he initially deemed unlikely after a challenging practice session. The Enstone team struggled throughout the weekend, contrasted starkly against the improving performances of rivals Aston Martin and Sauber, who have each garnered over 10 points in recent races. Currently, Alpine sits at the bottom of the constructors’ championship, with only 11 points compared to Sauber’s 26.
Gasly expressed his astonishment at advancing to Q3, noting, “We thought we’d be knocked out in Q1 because it’s been extremely difficult for some reason." He credited a late-session effort to secure his spot, stating, “Just every corner absolutely on the edge and came perfectly.”
Despite finishing in the top 10, Gasly remains realistic about race-day challenges. “Silverstone is not going to be our favourite track of the year… I know I’m probably going to spend most of the race looking in my mirrors,” he warned, while acknowledging the potential to score points from his eighth-place starting position following grid penalties for Oliver Bearman and Kimi Antonelli.
In contrast, teammate Franco Colapinto faced difficulties, spinning off into the wall during Q1, which relegated him to the last position. The team has opted to have him start from the pit lane to make necessary adjustments and introduce new power unit components. Colapinto remarked, “Not a good qualifying from my side… We found a lot of things this weekend to make me feel a bit better with the car, but we are still far.”
With the race ahead, Alpine faces a critical test in their pursuit to gain ground in the constructors’ standings amidst heightened competition.
