Pierre Gasly’s mindset going into Alpine ‘completely different’ than 2019 Red Bull stint

Pierre Gasly feels a eternity has passed since his half-a-season stint at Red Bull - and his mindset is now completely different going into Alpine.

Pierre Gasly’s mindset going into Alpine ‘completely different’ than 2019 Red Bull stint

Pierre Gasly

Pierre Gasly has joined forces with Alpine for the next couple of years of his career. Before moving to the French outfit, Gasly spent his entire Formula 1 career with Red Bull-associated teams. He made his debut for Toro Rosso at the 2017 Malaysian GP. In 2019, he was promoted to the main team but was sent back down after half a season due to his disappointing performances.

That same year, after his ‘demotion’, he got his first podium at the Brazilian GP. The next season, he won his first race in Monza. In 2021, he got his third podium, but 2022 was a rather disappointing season again. That’s not the case because Gasly himself was disappointing, but because his team did not field a competitive enough package. They eventually finished P8 in the championship. Now, he’s going to Alpine, with the dream to win a championship still intact.

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A lot has changed in Formula 1 since 2019, and a lot has changed for Gasly as well. In an interview with Motorsport.com, the Frenchman said: “It feels like it was an eternity ago that I was with Red Bull, and since then, so much has happened, professionally and personally. I really feel like I’ve developed in all areas. I remember when I came in Red Bull, the feeling that I had going there, and now the feeling, my approach and mindset that I have going into Alpine, is completely different.”

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Read More: AlphaTauri boss: Pierre Gasly was released due to ‘great risk’ of him losing seat in 2024

Pierre Gasly confident that Alpine collaboration will be ‘very successful’

Alpine driver Pierre Gasly at the post-season Abu Dhabi Test in December
Alpine driver Pierre Gasly at the post-season Abu Dhabi Test in December

Pierre Gasly was in a rather tricky situation with AlphaTauri. Sergio Perez had extended his contract with Red Bull until 2024, which meant he would have to wait for a seat on the main team for at least two more seasons. So, seeing the lack of options, he extended his contract until 2023. But at the same time: AlphaTauri is more of a ‘junior team’ for Red Bull. Gasly is a good driver, but there’s no assurance he would have been able to stay with them in 2024. The Alpine move came at the right time.

Alpine have ambitions to compete at the top. Gasly, who thinks he now has a ‘lot clearer ideas’, is also confident that this project will be ‘very successful’:“[I want to] mainly use that experience that I’ve gathered with AlphaTauri, in good and bad times, and gathered the experience that I learned in Red Bull to make the best out of this opportunity with Alpine. I’m a lot more confident that this is going to be very successful, I have no doubt about it. 2019, even if you think it’s only three years ago, I think personally I’ve evolved a lot.”

He’s teaming up with Esteban Ocon at Alpine, his ‘former’ friend. Some have predicted fireworks, but the drivers have repeatedly assured that they will have no problems working together. It’ll certainly be interesting to see how that develops. Alpine also have a ‘100-race plan’ to fight for wins again, of which about half has gone by. For their and Gasly’s sake, that plan must come to fruition.

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