Pierre Gasly has expressed optimism over Alpine’s recent upgrades to the A524 after securing an impressive seventh place in qualifying for the United States Grand Prix. Gasly praised the “big step” the team has made with the new developments, which include a redesigned floor body, edge, and engine cover. These upgrades were introduced in hopes of reigniting Alpine’s competitiveness following a difficult stretch where the team failed to score points in three consecutive races.
Gasly’s performance in Austin stood out as he progressed into Q3, securing the best result among the midfield runners. His teammate, Esteban Ocon, was less fortunate, exiting in Q2, but Gasly’s pace left him impressed with the car’s newfound potential.
“It’s been quite a long time since we made it to Q3, and I must say it was very enjoyable driving the car,” Gasly said. “We made a lot of changes after the Sprint, still exploring this new package, and there were directions we wanted to try. It was a big step in terms of control and potential, and it was just so much nicer to drive.”
Gasly emphasized that the improvements were a welcome surprise, expressing hope that the upgrades would mark a turning point for the team. “I think it’s quite surprising to have found that much performance, but it’s definitely encouraging for the future,” he added.
The strong qualifying result gives Alpine a good opportunity to close the gap to Williams in the Constructors’ Championship, with only three points separating the two teams. Gasly’s seventh-place grid position sets him up well for the race, but he remains cautious about the challenge that lies ahead in a competitive midfield battle.
“We saw Fernando [Alonso] was behind, and in the Sprint, we were kind of battling with each other,” Gasly noted. “The Haas cars were very fast, so we’ll see tomorrow how they do. But starting from seventh, we definitely need to capitalize on it and try to score points because we haven’t been finishing in the top 10 for a while.”
As Alpine looks to build on this momentum, Gasly’s strong qualifying performance offers hope that the team’s latest upgrades could be a key factor in securing more points and moving up the standings.
