Pierre Gasly: I'm very realistic about the situation.

      Pierre Gasly has had to come to terms this season with the fact that regularly fighting for top-ten finishes, unfortunately, isn’t possible — the Alpine A525 doesn’t allow it. The last time he managed to score points was at the July round in Belgium, and he finished the recent Singapore Grand Prix second-to-last, a lap down from the winner.

      Speaking to the press in the paddock at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, he admitted that the main goal right now is simply to try to deliver realistically possible results, but even that doesn’t always happen.

      Pierre Gasly: “I want to say that I have a very realistic view of the situation we’re in. I think I spent several months finding the right approach to all of this and simply focusing on what I can control — i.e., giving everything for the team. And expecting the same from them.

      Objectively speaking, what worries me most at the moment is this: I want to be sure we’re extracting everything the equipment we have is capable of.

      We haven’t managed that over the last three rounds, but together with the team we’ve been working really hard and have already figured out what on my car wasn’t working as it should. But I think the main task now is to properly get through the last six races of the season so that our standards remain at the right level, because that’s important for preparing for next year.

      And I still try, where possible, to enjoy the job, and when I get in the car I feel inspired. What I miss is a real fight for strong results, to get some reward for all the efforts we’re putting in.”