Pierre Gasly eager to repay Enstone factory as Alpine targets Silverstone response to Austria fail

The British Grand Prix marks Round 9 of the 2026 Formula 1 World Championship and the fourth sprint weekend of the season. It also carries added significance for Alpine, whose Enstone factory sits just 25 miles from the historic Northamptonshire venue.

After failing to score points in Austria for the first time this season, the team arrives at Silverstone hoping to deliver a stronger performance in front of thousands of factory staff expected to fill the grandstands.

Gasly believes there are few better places to get a season back on track than Silverstone, a circuit renowned for its flowing, high-speed corners and passionate crowd.

"It's the team's home race and, generally speaking, it is one of the best tracks on the calendar to drive," Gasly said. "It is high-speed throughout, especially Maggotts-Becketts-Chapel, which is one of the best corner combinations of the entire season."

The Frenchman also reflected on his first experience driving Alpine's 2026 challenger at Silverstone during a winter test: "I drove the A526 for the very first time here, although the conditions were not too representative as it was the middle of January when it was cold and wet. That was certainly extreme and something we probably will never experience in competitive racing."

Despite the setback in Austria, Gasly remains optimistic: "We left Austria feeling a bit disappointed as we did not score points for the first time all season. We have a lot of data to look at and a lot of things to learn and understand, and the good thing about back-to-back races is that we have an immediate chance to go again."

"It's another Sprint weekend, so it will be fast-paced as ever, and hopefully we can put on a good show for the fans, especially with so many Enstone staff members in the grandstands and supporting from home," concluded Gasly.

Colapinto is also looking for an improved weekend: "I feel ready to be back on track this weekend in Silverstone after a challenging race in Austria. I'm hoping to feel a bit more comfortable with the car, as I've driven the A526 around Silverstone already this year at a filming day, and it is certainly an interesting test in this generation of Formula 1."

He acknowledged Alpine fell short of expectations at the Red Bull Ring: "I think we've come away from Austria slightly down on our luck, as we finished outside the points, which was obviously not the result the team was hoping for. The race was difficult for us, and we found it hard to find the balance all weekend."

The 23-year-old has already returned to the simulator in preparation for Silverstone and knows there is little room for error during the Sprint format: "We need to hit the ground running, as it's a sprint event, and we need to be fast from Friday as we aim to take points from the weekend with the two opportunities to score.

"The fans are always brilliant, and as this is the team's home race, close to the factory, there will be loads of team members in the crowd who have travelled from Enstone. I hope to give them a good result and return to the points, added Colapinto.