Gasly contacted management following the unexpected departure of the CEO.

      Pierre Gasly has admitted that he followed through with his concerns regarding the unexpected departure of Renault CEO Luca de Meo. De Meo, who is moving to the parent company of the Italian fashion brand Gucci, not only appointed Flavio Briatore as his personal F1 advisor but was also instrumental in shaping the entire Alpine strategy in Formula 1.

      Gasly, who drives for the Enstone-based team, commented on de Meo's departure shortly after leaving Montreal: "He’s the one who brought me into the team. I need to sit down with the management to discuss and understand what this means for the team."

      Briatore's initial reaction to de Meo's departure was that it would change "nothing" for the F1 team. However, Gasly acknowledged in Austria that he pursued discussions to clarify his concerns. "It was something important for me," he told France’s L’Equipe. "I’ve spoken to everyone on the phone, including Luca and other management personnel. I needed to confirm the project I've been involved in since joining Alpine. These conversations are normal given the situation, but there are no worries about what comes next."

      When asked to reveal more about his discussions, the 29-year-old said: "I have the necessary answers, but you can understand that it’s not something I can make public. I will let the team provide more details. For me, it was essential to have these conversations, which were very clear, and everything is clear in my mind. That’s what matters most."

      Gasly recognizes that the recent and ongoing changes are a topic of discussion within the Enstone corridors and pit garage. "At Enstone, some are raising questions and that’s reasonable," he stated. "But Flavio has already provided answers, and everyone knows where they stand. It doesn’t affect the work to be done or the team’s progress."

      On the track, Alpine is facing another challenging season, but Gasly emphasized that a key focus is the team's work on the 2026 project, including transitioning to customer Mercedes power and gearboxes. "We should be much more competitive," he said regarding the 2026 season. "I’m closely monitoring the development of the new car, and so far, we’re satisfied with our progress. We’re uncertain of where the others stand, but we have a general idea of what we deem acceptable, and for now, we’re staying on course. There are six months of development remaining, and I hope that our tough sporting situation and our current position in the championship will provide us with an advantage in wind tunnel hours, which we can optimize to arrive at the first 2026 tests with a car that is well-prepared."

      Testing for the 2026 cars is expected to commence in January. Lastly, Gasly addressed teammate Franco Colapinto’s difficulties since taking over from the dismissed rookie Jack Doohan. "First you’re celebrated, then you’re criticized," Gasly remarked to Kronen Zeitung. "It changes quickly. Franco seems mature and focused on what’s important. We have a good relationship."