Pierre Gasly might continue his Formula 1 journey with Alpine, despite the team's struggles attributed to Renault's underperformance.
After a tumultuous 2023 and off-season filled with management changes and uncertainty, Alpine has unfortunately debuted what is considered the least competitive car of the 2024 season.
Gasly acknowledges the road to improvement is not a short one. "I think we're not looking ahead two or three weeks, but rather four or six months," he stated.
As teammate Esteban Ocon, under Toto Wolff's management, contemplates a move to Mercedes for 2025, Gasly's sights are set on the horizon, eyeing the transformative 2026 regulations.
With Renault's power unit currently lagging behind in performance, Lando Norris, a McLaren driver, highlighted that all teams and manufacturers have their eyes set on the significant changes the 2026 power unit regulations will bring. "This could potentially be a big shake-up for any team, probably most so in terms of the power unit," Norris noted.
Speculation about Red Bull's 2026 power unit plans causing Max Verstappen's potential switch to Mercedes or Aston Martin adds to the intrigue.
Gasly, having experience with both a factory team and a customer team, remarked, "I know both sides," adding, "the factory team and the customer team. And of course the ceiling is higher for the factory team," as reported by Speed Week. He further emphasized the advantages of being a manufacturer: "There is no limit if you are a manufacturer. You can set your own limits and invest as much as you want."
However, the concern remains that Alpine's current challenges might extend into the 2026 season, casting a shadow over their future performance.
Gasly remains optimistic, underlining the team's awareness and strategic approach to overcoming these hurdles: "It's not that we don't know what we're doing or because the car concept doesn't work, but it's very important that we are able to find solutions and understand what's happening."
