Pierre Gasly ready to sacrifice 2025 to aim for victory in 2026
Pierre Gasly is ready to sacrifice the 2025 Formula 1 season to fully focus on the regulatory revolution of 2026. Acknowledging the gap with the leaders and the current development constraints of the Alpine, the French driver believes it is preferable to concentrate all resources on creating the future car, even if it means sacrificing short-term results.
For Pierre Gasly, the 2025 F1 season must be sacrificed. He told his team, Alpine, (that) we are starting with the same weapons (as) the other teams for the planned overhaul in 2026.
In 2026, the F1 technical regulations will undergo a significant transformation, with the introduction of active aerodynamics and a modernization of the propulsion system, all aimed at causing a major shift in the standings. For the past two years, Alpine has found itself in a mid-table position more consistently than their performances merit, unable to close the gap with the top teams despite an honorable 6th place in the constructors’ championship last year. Also affected by the development freeze, the Renault power unit has not been able to benefit from performance improvements to rectify design flaws.
But for the final year of the current regulations, Pierre Gasly believes it would be a mistake to shift too much focus away from 2026. The Alpine, which will launch this year using last season’s chassis, is already at a disadvantage on paper.
Oliver Oakes, the team manager, on the other hand, praised the team’s progress and regained stability: « I think the main advantage of this new team at Enstone is that it now has stability. It is led by two guys who are very in tune with our goals. I can already see good things on that front. »
There are clearly still challenges to overcome.
Le Normand acknowledged that there was still a big gap between the leading teams, while the Briton also called on the team to produce a better car.
But if Alpine maintains this stability and continues in the same vein as last year, they might well take another step forward in 2025, but for the Frenchman, it seems complicated; he prefers to work towards 2026.
« If it were up to me, the entire budget would be on 2026, but I don’t have control over the budget. I don’t care about being eighth, ninth, or tenth, I want to win, I want to finish on the podium and I know it won’t be easy to close the gap this year. But I know that in 2026, we will start again with the same tools as the other teams and it’s up to us to come up with the best possible car. Every time I get in the car, I want the fastest possible package. So it doesn’t change the mindset for 2025, but overall, I know there’s much more to gain in 2026 than what I could fight for in 2025. »
