Pierre Gasly tempers Esteban Ocon’s optimism about Alpine’s performance compared to Mercedes and Ferrari

As the F1 race in Barcelona approaches this weekend, Pierre Gasly took part in an interview to discuss the team’s expectations and the recent progress made in their performance, with a P7 in Monaco and a podium for his teammate Esteban Ocon. Showing growing confidence, the Alpine driver expressed enthusiasm for the potential results to come.

“I am extremely excited to see what we can accomplish here,” Gasly eagerly declared. “We have excellent momentum within the team, and we have experienced improved performance in Miami. Monaco has clearly marked a big step forward for us.”

He did, however, underline that there would be no new improvements made to the car this weekend. Despite this, he insisted on the importance of confirming the impressive performances observed last weekend.

“I was at a pit stop close to achieving what Esteban accomplished last week,” Gasly explained. “It’s not ideal, but we won’t make the same mistake again. I expressed my desire to extend my stint, as my tires were in good condition. There were reasons why they made that decision, but regardless, we discussed it all. Despite everything, I am still very satisfied with my time, as I could see all the work the team has put into these improvements. It’s a real pleasure to see the guys stepping onto the podium at this stage of the season. We are quite confident. Monaco wasn’t my moment, but it will come.”

Do not jump to conclusions.

Displaying clear determination, Gasly stated that their goal was to compete with Mercedes and Ferrari teams, and he hopes to replicate these strong performances. Nevertheless, he also emphasized the importance of consistency and preferred not to draw quick conclusions.

“What I have observed in Monaco is what I think is achievable for Alpine,” Gasly said. “However, we need consistency above all, I don’t want to draw any big conclusions. It is essential to confirm our performance here in Barcelona, on a demanding track for tires, with an increased sensitivity to power, especially in the last two corners that will be very fast.”

Although he may not be as optimistic as Esteban Ocon, who stated that Alpine has surpassed Mercedes and is on the same level as Ferrari, Gasly remains focused on the goal of competing at their level.

“I believe this is our goal, we want to compete with them,” he emphasized. “Personally, I would have preferred one or two additional races to confirm this, but this is what I want to achieve this weekend,” he stated to Motors Inside. “That’s why I’m fighting, and I wouldn’t be surprised if I find myself competing with them. But I cannot say for sure, 100%, that it will be the case right now. It is better to not draw such premature conclusions.”

The Alpine driver notably admitted that they weren’t yet fully exploiting the potential of their equipment and that there were still areas to improve, particularly in terms of communication and understanding between himself and the team in order to clarify his specific needs.