Pierre Gasly has said Alpine is resisting the urge to bring minor updates to its Formula 1 car as it strives to deliver a step that allows it to “fight for relevant positions”.
Alpine tempered expectations heading into the current campaign as the team cautioned that an overhauled car concept would require time to unlock its full potential.
However, the Enstone-based squad was stunned to end up slowest at the opening race in Bahrain as it materialised that the A524 was overweight and uncompetitive.
Alpine has since introduced a lighter chassis to come down to the minimum weight limit and Esteban Ocon scored a point in Miami, while Gasly took 10th in Monaco.
But the Anglo-French marque is still lagging behind its competitors in the lower midfield region as other sides have implemented developments over the recent races.
Gasly isn’t concerned that Alpine hasn’t caught up at this stage, though, citing how it plans to add an upgrade package it can be confident will see it surpass its rivals.
“I’ve always said I’ve seen a lot of positive changes in the background in the team where I definitely think we’ve made a step forward in many areas, which unfortunately doesn’t translate on the track because of you know, the car which is not that… the concept which is not providing the performance that we had hoped for,” he explained.
“Unfortunately at the moment we’ve got to be patient because we don’t want to bring something to make a minimal change on the track which still won’t be enough to fight for the positions we want, so we’ll have to wait a bit longer, but then at some point, we know that we’ll come with a package which we hope will give us that edge to finally fight for more relevant positions.”
Alpine’s disastrous start to the term has seen wholesale changes behind the scenes, including a move to the three-pronged technical arrangement McLaren adopted.
Gasly has claimed that he has complete confidence in the structure and personnel in place at Alpine’s respective bases to enact a turnaround to the squad’s fortunes.
“But in terms of structure, I see a lot of positives,” he added.
“The mentality, you’re really challenging people when as a team, after seven races, you’re [on a] single point in the championship, it’s tough on everyone.
“It’s tough on drivers, it’s tough on mechanics, on engineers, people back in Enstone, in Viry, and the reaction I’m seeing from all these people, they definitely have a very strong will of changing and knowing that we’ve got the tools and the abilities, whether it’s in the technical staff or in the tools that we have to make a change.”
Gasly would not be drawn on whether he intends to renew with Alpine into 2025, but the Frenchman went on to outline that he would “like to fight for better positions”.
The ex-Red Bull driver has also conceded that Alpine will have to make a definitive choice soon regarding the car concept that it elected to switch to during last winter.
“I’m obviously looking and pushing the guys in all the different areas that I can as a driver because the target is coming for all of us,” he expressed.
“No one is enjoying the position we are in at the moment. But yeah, I must say I’m seeing that motivation.
“I’m seeing that reaction, I’m seeing that, you know, definitely a positive attitude in a tough situation for all of us.
“Obviously, I [would] like to fight for better positions, so I guess time will tell in the coming weeks and coming months on what we’re doing.
“What the findings we’re having in the wind tunnel and the decisions we’re going to take about this car concept.”
