Pierre Gasly firmly believes in his dream of becoming a world champion during his Formula 1 career. The Frenchman is convinced that Alpine can take him all the way
Gasly is confident. Now in his third consecutive season with Alpine—following a multi-year stint at Toro Rosso—the French driver dares to dream of something that might seem impossible: a world title. He arguably has the talent for it, even though he hasn’t driven a truly competitive car on a regular basis since early 2019.
Let’s go back to 2019. After Daniel Ricciardo’s surprising move to Renault, Red Bull turned to one of its most promising academy drivers, Pierre Gasly, who had just completed a strong season with Toro Rosso. Accepting the challenge, Gasly stepped into the seat alongside the formidable Max Verstappen—a move that undoubtedly shaped much of his career.
The Dream: “A Title with Alpine”
Despite having driven the fastest car of his career at Red Bull in 2019, it was with AlphaTauri (formerly Toro Rosso, now Visa Cash App RB) that Gasly savored the sweet taste of victory. That came in 2020, in an epic race at Monza where he triumphed over Sainz’s McLaren and Stroll’s Racing Point—on a podium that, for once that year, didn’t include a Mercedes.
The Alpine project began for Gasly in 2023, following his departure from Faenza. Now under the experienced leadership of Flavio Briatore, the French team has high ambitions for 2026—a season expected to be a turning point for Formula 1, and one Alpine cannot afford to miss. With Mercedes power units on board, the team is aiming high.
Gasly raised the bar even further after the Jeddah Grand Prix, which ended early for him due to contact with Tsunoda’s Red Bull: “I believe Alpine has what it takes to fight at the front. In 2026, I could become world champion. I’m really looking forward to seeing what happens next year. Obviously, I’m fully committed and focused on this season, but as a team, we know what we’re aiming for”.
““We also know what’s planned for 2026, so the strategy is already in place. As I told the team, if it were up to me, I’d invest every single team member and all our resources into next year. Whether I finish eighth, ninth, sixth, or seventh this year doesn’t really matter, but if next year we can fight for wins and podiums, that would be truly meaningful”.
Photos: BWT Alpine Formula One Team
