Pierre Gasly says Alpine targeting McLaren and Ferrari after encouraging start to 2026

Following a disastrous 2025 Formula 1 campaign, finishing last in the Constructors' Championship, Alpine made a conscious decision to sacrifice short-term results to focus entirely on the new regulations. Early signs suggest that gamble is beginning to pay off.

Gasly has scored points in all three opening Grands Prix, including a best finish of sixth in China. With 15 points already on the board, he sits just seven points shy of Alpine’s entire tally from last season. Enjoying Mercedes power for the first time, the A526 appears to be a solid car.

Despite the progress, Gasly remains measured about how quickly Alpine can join the fight at the front: “I don't think it will happen in the space of a month, but I would like that after the summer break, we can get more involved with the group ahead of us, that is to say with McLaren and Ferrari.

“In Japan, the gap was still too big to really participate in this fight. But seven seconds over 28 laps represents three to four tenths, and that's what we need to work on," he told French reporters after Suzuka.

Gasly highlighted race pace limitations as a key area for improvement: “The car was a bit tricky; I wasn't as comfortable as in qualifying. I struggled in the fast corners, which is one of our current limitations.  With better balance, there would already be a way to make up some of that gap in race pace.

There is, however, growing confidence within the team that the foundations are strong. Gasly said: “We know what we need to improve, and that's positive. We don't have to worry about the engine; we have the best one currently available.

“We simply need to focus on the chassis and our work. I think we have a good base; we just need to improve it.”

At Suzuka, Gasly spent much of the race defending against Max Verstappen, underlining both Alpine’s progress and Red Bull’s early season struggles.

Red Bull currently sit sixth in the Constructors’ Championship, level on points with Alpine but behind on countback following Gasly’s seventh place finish in Japan.

That shift in competitiveness has reinforced Gasly’s belief in Alpine’s trajectory. He said: “I'm happy because the car seems to work on all types of circuits. That definitely gives me confidence.

“I haven't been back to the factory yet, but I hope everyone appreciates seeing us fighting for these kinds of positions. It's very different from last year, and I hope it will give us a boost to keep working hard and put us in an even better position in the coming months.”

With a five-week development window before Miami, Alpine now has a critical opportunity to convert early promise into sustained performance and move closer to the front of the grid.
(Reporting by Agnes Carlier from Suzuka)