Alpine’s Pierre Gasly Surprises with Strong Qualifying at British GP
Silverstone – Despite entering the British Grand Prix weekend on the back foot, Alpine’s Pierre Gasly secured an impressive P10 in qualifying, elevating to P8 on the grid due to penalties for Oliver Bearman and Andrea Kimi Antonelli. Gasly expressed his surprise at reaching Q3, given the team’s struggles throughout practice sessions.
“We thought we’d be knocked out in Q1,” said Gasly. “We struggled so much… but we tried a lot and focused on our package. Starting P15 in Q1, we managed to get through to Q2 and I was very happy with that lap.” He acknowledged the car’s difficulties but noted a commendable team performance under challenging circumstances.
Alpine’s performance contrasts sharply with rivals Aston Martin and Sauber, both of which have garnered over 10 points in recent races, leaving Alpine trailing in the constructors’ standings with just 11 points. Gasly’s advancement is seen as a significant boost for the team, though he tempered expectations for race day, stating, “We know Silverstone is not going to be our favorite track, but starting in the points gives us hope.”
Gasly’s teammate, Franco Colapinto, faced a setback, spinning off during Q1 and ultimately starting from the pit lane. Colapinto cited a lack of rear grip as the cause of his mishap but remained optimistic about improvements made over the weekend.
“We need to take a few steps for the next races,” Colapinto admitted. “It’s a pity about qualifying, but we found things to improve during the weekend.”
As the teams prepare for the race, all eyes will be on how Gasly manages to maintain his grid position amid the pressures of a power-hungry Silverstone circuit.
