F1: Illusion in Alpine after Baréin’s preseason

“We are much stronger than last year,” said Pierre Gasly after three days of Sakhir training.

The double podium achieved in Brazil saved Alpine to sign a very poor 2024 season. That did not cover that the last World Cup was the lowest points harvest since 2021, when Team was renamed Renault, and in the longest calendar in history. Those just 65 points (35 scored them in the San Pablo GP) served to finish in the sixth place of the Cup of Builders. The improvement experienced by the French team in the final stretch of the championship was a balm. And the tail wind seems to have stretched to the previous one of the 76th Formula 1 tournament, at least for what was shown in BARÉIN’s trials.

“It was three very good days for us. I have enjoyed the team and with the A525. We were able to try a lot of things and we took interesting conclusions,” said Pierre Gasly, Who will play his third season with Alpine and is the survivor of the titular duo 2024 after the departure of Esteban Ocon. “We can surely affirm that we are in a much stronger position for 2025 than last year. In general, I feel comfortable with the car and it is a good starting point for the start of the season. There are many things that we can improve for the first race in Australia. I am happy and now I only want the championship to start, ”added the Frenchman, who completed 197 laps of the 405 that Alpine gave in the three days of Baréin. There were 2195.10 kilometers of trials for the team led by Oliver Oakes, equivalent to seven major awards. Gasly left with 1066,164 kilometers.

Jack Doohan, Gasly’s partner, turned 208 laps to prepare for his first season as a starter, after having debuted for trouble in Abu Dhabi, the last appointment of 2024, replacing the ejected Ocon. “We had three days without problems and the car worked well all week, that allowed us to take many laps and do a lot of mileage. We collected many important data And, in a personal capacity, I have acquired some useful knowledge to apply them in Australia in the first race. The conditions have been varied throughout the week, but that is good to test. I go to Melbourne with confidence. There is much to come and our goal is to continue working hard and continue progressing as a team. “

Oakes was satisfied with the program carried out in the essays. “In the tests it is never easy to know what your position is on the grill. We focus a lot on ourselves this week and I am satisfied with the things we have learned and how we progress during the three days. We have a good base. The two pilots have given many laps and is important. ”