Imola Grand Prix: Gasly’s Strong Performance Despite Unforeseen Collision
Pierre Gasly of Alpine Racing delivered an impressive showing during the opening day of practice for the 2025 Imola Grand Prix, despite a collision with a rabbit that slightly marred his efforts. Gasly clocked a best lap of 1:15.569 in the second session, securing the third-fastest time, just under three-tenths behind the leading McLaren drivers.
“This has been a very, very good Friday,” Gasly stated post-session. “From the first lap, I could tell the car was in a much better place than in Miami. It’s fair to say it’s probably been the best Friday so far this year.”
Gasly expressed newfound confidence in his A525, indicating he felt capable of pushing the car to its limits on the challenging Imola circuit, despite its narrow nature.
Earlier, however, Gasly’s performance was briefly interrupted in the first practice session when he collided with a rabbit on track. The unexpected encounter resulted in “quite a bit of damage” to his car, affecting both the front wing and the floor. He managed to complete 21 laps overall during the session, achieving a sixth-place finish with a time of 1:16.696.
Alpine has faced a tumultuous period, including the resignation of team boss Oliver Oakes and a mid-season driver change. Nevertheless, Gasly’s solid practice results may signal a turning point for the team as they adapt to recent changes.
With the race weekend underway, Gasly’s feedback and performance will be crucial as Alpine aims to capitalize on this momentum.
