Contrasting season starts for Alpine and Pierre in Australia

Promising qualifying
In qualifying, Pierre finished ninth, a clear improvement on the previous season. He was thus the best French representative on the grid. He expressed his satisfaction with this performance, underlining the progress made after a less convincing free practice session.

A race disrupted by changing weather conditions
On race day, unstable weather conditions made tire management and strategies particularly complex. Pierre maintained his position in the top 10 for much of the race. However, at the end of the race, the decision to stay on slicks in the pouring rain proved detrimental. This decision allowed competitors such as Kimi Antonelli, Alexander Albon and Nico Hülkenberg to overtake him.

Technical problems at the end of the race
To make matters worse, Pierre encountered front brake problems in the final laps, further complicating his ability to defend his position. These difficulties ultimately relegated him to eleventh place at the finish, depriving him of points in the standings. Despite this disappointment, the French driver acknowledged that the team had taken strategic risks which had not borne fruit, while remaining optimistic for the forthcoming races.

Outlook for the rest of the season
Despite a scoreless start to the season, the performances of Pierre Gasly and the Alpine team at the Australian Grand Prix suggest encouraging potential for the races ahead. The team will need to learn from this first race to optimize its strategic and technical choices, in order to realize its championship ambitions.