Gasly remains assured as Alpine places all its bets on 2026.

      "I’m genuinely pleased with what I observe in the team."

      Pierre Gasly expresses optimism about Alpine's prospects, even after a challenging 2025 season at the lower end of the grid. Last week in Zandvoort, Alpine's executive advisor and effective team leader, Flavio Briatore, assured that Gasly's position is secure as Formula 1 enters a new regulations era. "We invested significantly in the 2026 car," Briatore acknowledged. "Perhaps we erred by not introducing improvements from the start of the season until now, and we're facing the consequences of that. "We aim to move past this year and find joy in 2026," added the 75-year-old. "I also hope that the new chairman of Renault provides strong backing."

      Gasly, who joined Alpine in 2023, spoke to Auto Hebdo about his confidence stemming from the scale of the 2026 initiative. "We may very well be the team that halted development the soonest," he noted. "Our last updates were in Barcelona in May. The car's development came to a stop at the end of February or in March. "Since then, all efforts have shifted towards 2026. Being at the bottom of the championship also grants us extra wind tunnel time."

      The 29-year-old welcomed the choice to switch from Renault's in-house engine to a customer supply from Mercedes. "Based on current assessments, the Mercedes engine appears to be the best," he remarked. "Additionally, I see the work happening at the factory. The personnel we have, the new recruits—there are reasons for our performance struggles this year."

      Gasly believes Alpine's current performance gap is not as severe as it seems. "If we were two seconds off the pace, I would be concerned, but right now, I see that I'm only two tenths away from being seventh on the grid," he noted. He also emphasized that team morale at the Enstone facility remains strong. "I must say I feel really positive about what I witness in the team," Gasly stated. "Every weekend, we give our all. I think we are optimizing better than many other teams on several occasions.

      "While the final outcomes aren't reflecting that, we have valid reasons for our lack of results. "I’m not asserting that we will have the best car next year, but I am aware of the progress being made. Given that the Mercedes engine currently appears superior and knowing what we must enhance in the chassis, I believe we should find ourselves in a significantly improved position compared to now."