Gasly praises the Alpine as its 'best ever,' while the team dismisses claims of 'sabotage.'

Gasly praises the Alpine as its 'best ever,' while the team dismisses claims of 'sabotage.'

      "I was around three or four tenths slower per lap than Hamilton."

      Pierre Gasly claims that Alpine has provided him with the best car of his Formula 1 career, but the team has been compelled to address ongoing rumors of unequal treatment towards his teammate Franco Colapinto. After three races in 2026, Gasly has evidently outperformed the highly regarded Argentine rookie, leading their head-to-head in qualifying, sprint, and race results with ease. While Colapinto has faced difficulties matching Gasly's speed, some fans have suggested he isn't receiving the same quality of equipment, prompting a strong and rare response from Alpine.

      Gasly, nonetheless, finds encouragement in the car's overall performance. "I’m happy that our car performs well on different types of circuits. It’s a real confidence booster," he remarked. "In Suzuka, I was roughly three or four tenths per lap behind Hamilton. Ferrari is our next target, and we need to do everything possible to close the gap. Right now, the difference is still too significant for us to engage seriously in the battle for a podium, but post-summer break, I would like us to be competing with McLaren and Ferrari."

      In light of the rising rumors online, Alpine sought to dispel claims that Colapinto is at a disadvantage. "The team strives to put the two fastest cars on the track and to give both drivers an equal chance to be competitive and earn crucial points for the championship," said the team. While Alpine admitted that development parts might be deployed on one car before the other due to manufacturing limitations, they stressed that this is not intentional. "That is never the intended or desired approach," the team emphasized. "If the part is a performance enhancement as we hope, we want it on both cars as soon as possible."

      The statement firmly dismissed more serious allegations. "Any claims regarding sabotage or not providing Franco with the same car are entirely baseless." Additionally, Alpine reaffirmed its commitment to the young driver. "Franco is our driver, and the team has confidence in him, just as he has in the team—demonstrating our commitment to Franco and ensuring he stands on equal ground alongside Pierre."

Gasly praises the Alpine as its 'best ever,' while the team dismisses claims of 'sabotage.'

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Gasly praises the Alpine as its 'best ever,' while the team dismisses claims of 'sabotage.'

Formula 1 | Pierre Gasly states that Alpine has provided him with the finest car of his Formula 1 career—yet the team has had to refute ongoing allegations of inequality (...)