Nielsen: Pierre and Franco are doing an excellent job.

      The Alpine F1 team and its drivers belong to the larger part of the Formula 1 community that enjoys both the atmosphere of the Austrian Grand Prix and the Red Bull Ring racetrack where this race takes place…

      Pierre Gasly: “If I were to say that the previous weeks have been somewhat of an emotional rollercoaster, that image doesn’t reflect everything! I am very proud of the efforts our team has made both on and off the track, and it’s wonderful that the series of successful races continues where we earn points.

      In Barcelona, we had to overcome the difficulties typical of that track, especially evident during qualifying, and we need to keep working on that aspect. In the race, our performance was much better, the pace was at a decent level, but we are still behind four top teams, so we need to work hard to close that gap.

      The track in Austria is also challenging, and there are few opportunities to catch your breath during the lap. It’s fast, with a lot of elevation changes and areas of heavy braking, while the lap is quite short. This means that driving needs to be as precise as possible, as even the slightest mistake immediately affects lap time.

      As for other topics unrelated to racing, I will, of course, continue watching the World Cup. The French national team plays on Friday, so I will definitely watch that match and hope our team continues its winning streak!”

      Franco Colapinto: “In Barcelona, the team scored points with both cars again, which is a positive moment. The team is in great spirits, and I am looking forward to two consecutive European races separated by a week, starting this week in Spielberg.

      Speaking of the upcoming race, the Austrian track is very interesting, with an organic layout. In the past, I have had some success there, including finishing on the podium in the Formula 2 Sunday race in 2024, and in 2022 I finished in the top three in my debut season in F3.

      The lap at the Red Bull Ring is one of the shortest among all the tracks on the calendar, and it’s important to achieve a good pace in qualifying, as the results are likely to be tighter than at most events. We are determined to continue fighting for points, and to successfully compete against our rivals, we need to work effectively from the very start of the weekend.”

      Steve Nielsen, Managing Director of Alpine F1: “The start of the European phase of the season is marked by very intense competition, and we have managed to add to our points tally.

      A significant part of the season is already behind us, and we are starting to notice certain trends. Speaking of our team, we already know the strengths and weaknesses of the A526 car and understand which aspects need special attention.

      We definitely need to improve in qualifying, but even when starting from relatively distant positions, we manage to earn points on Sundays, which is the most important thing.

      In the upcoming races, we will introduce a number of technical innovations as we strive for better results. Ahead is the Austrian weekend, which is the home race for our title sponsor, BWT, and next week we will head to Silverstone, which is already a home race for Alpine F1.

      There will be a lot of work, and I know that everyone in the team has a fighting spirit, especially Pierre and Franco, who are doing an excellent job helping the team move forward. Both want the car to gain speed, and it’s up to us to achieve further improvements to help the drivers fully express themselves.”