Colapinto, between what could not be in China and the illusion of Japan

After having scored points in the first two races of the season with the help of Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapintothe team Alpine prepares for the Japanese Grand Prix of Formula 1which will be carried out between March 26 and 29.

Suzuka, Alpine’s next challenge

The legendary high-speed circuit of Suzuki It has hosted races since the 1980s and has been the scene of some of the most dramatic incidents in the history of the sport, including the famous championship battles between Prost and Senna. The track is unique for being the only figure-eight circuit on the calendar and is a favorite among drivers; Its curves—such as the 130R and the two Degner curves—represent a particular challenge. For this season, the straight before Turn 130R will have a “Straight Mode” zone, as will the old DRS activation zone located on the main pit straight.

The reduction in downforce on the 2026 cars will make tackling a circuit like Suzuka different compared to previous Formula 1 seasons. In the initial sequence of curves – the “S” – and in the Spoon curve, the apex speeds will be lower; However, it is likely that in the second sector the cars will perform within a similar performance range to last year.

Colapinto and his debut in Suzuka

After the 10th place that saw him score points for the first time in Alpine, Colapinto analyzed: “In hindsight, I was glad to leave Shanghai with my first point in the box for the team, especially after some very exciting battles on the track throughout the race. It was a shame, however, that we couldn’t achieve even more, as the potential was there, but several factors during the race did not work in our favor. I’m really impressed with the improvements the team has made so far this season.; “The difference between Melbourne and Shanghai is obvious at a glance.”

“I was at Enstone last week and spent some time with the team and in the simulator. It was fantastic to be able to celebrate this result with them, especially after the hard work done by everyone over these last few months,” he added.

Furthermore, the Argentine anticipated what will be his first race in Japan: “We have already shown what we are capable of and now our goal is to continue progressing ahead of our visit to Suzuka this weekend, which will be a new challenge. I am extremely excited to race in Japan for the first time in my career; It is an incredible country and I am looking forward to living the experience of a weekend of competition on this mythical circuit“.

“Judging by what we have seen in the first races of the year, we will have to work very hard to get the car ready; however, I face the challenge with enthusiasm and I am ready to consolidate the good result obtained in the last test before the short break we will have next month“he concluded.

One of Gasly’s favorite places

Gasly also celebrated the team’s performance at the Chinese Grand Prix: “It’s a nice feeling to finish a race with some solid points in our pockets. We were in the fight all weekend in China and, of course, I left there wanting more, as I felt that we left some potential behind and that the result could have been even better if circumstances had worked in our favor. That said, we all learned a lot, which will help us for future races.”

The next stop will be at a special venue for the Frenchman: It’s probably a good sign that we end a successful weekend with a certain feeling of dissatisfaction; I hope we can maintain this good state of form in Japan, one of my favorite places on the calendar. It is a special place for me, since I played part of my sports career there back in 2017.. I will visit Tokyo—as I always do during Grand Prix week—because it is one of my favorite cities in the world. Simply I love all their culture and of course the food is amazing“.

“Suzuka will be an interesting challenge with this year’s cars. I don’t think we should set any specific expectations, as Suzuka poses many unique challenges due to its fluid nature and high-speed corners.. “I’m ready for the challenge and I hope we can have a good rhythm from the first moment to enjoy another positive weekend, adding more points to our locker before that short break in April,” he concluded.

Alpine, between disappointment and illusion

Steve NielsenCEO of Alpine, said: “We left China with a quite unique and bittersweet feeling; something this team probably hadn’t experienced in a long time. On paper, it was of course a very positive resultwith nine points added throughout the weekend and both cars scoring points for the first time so far in 2024. And, rightly so, we should be satisfied with that effort for having managed to score points in the first two events of the season.”

“But There was also a certain degree of disappointmentas we didn’t make the most of the weekend and left Shanghai knowing that more could have been achieved, especially considering the misfortune that other teams suffered during the race. That spirit of competition is what forges and defines Enstone; I was happy to see very happy faces at the factory last week, but accompanied by a fierce determination to achieve even more and obtain even better results. “That is the challenge we face now, because we know that a single good result does not define a season,” he added.

The British engineer outlined the team’s objectives: “The real challenge is to maintain our competitiveness, continuing with the work of understanding and maximizing the performance of the entire group. – both on the track and through our hard work and efforts behind the scenes at Enstone – to bring improvements to the car. Our competitors are in the same situation and, without a doubt, will do a great job to enhance the performance of their cars; we must do even better than them. Suzuka represents a new challenge, one that we face with great expectations. Frankly, we don’t know what our performance will be there; “But I know that the team is ready to maintain this positive streak, travel there ready to give their best and return home with more points in the box.”