Alpine F1 heads to the Canadian Grand Prix under pressure, seeking to resolve car inconsistency and fight for vital championship points.
Alpine F1 returns to the track this weekend in Montreal for the Canadian Grand Prix.
Executive advisor Flavio Briatore and drivers Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto are eager to be back on track this week in Quebec.
Located on Notre-Dame Island, the artificial island that hosted the Montreal Summer Olympics in 1976, the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve has been the venue for all Canadian Grands Prix since 1978.
Famous for its long straights broken up by tight, technical chicanes, the track—originally named Circuit Île Notre-Dame—saw its first winner in legendary Canadian driver Gilles Villeneuve.
It was renamed in his honor after his death in 1982. The track is also known for the “Wall of Champions” at the final corner exit and the occasional visit from groundhogs inhabiting the island.
“We head to Montreal motivated to build on our points finish in Barcelona,” commented Briatore.
“Certainly, the team scored four points, but we lost ground in the championship, and that strengthens our determination to make up for it in the coming races. Pierre and Franco are working tirelessly with the engineers to move the team forward. They have my full support, and it’s on us, as a team, to give them a better car and the tools to fight.”
“Although Franco is still adapting, I’m satisfied with the way both the drivers and the team are committing themselves to getting us out of this tough situation. However, I’m frustrated by the car’s inconsistency, which is something we must resolve quickly.”
For Pierre Gasly, “as a team, we were relatively satisfied to finish the triple-header with a top ten in Barcelona, but there is still a lot of work to do to maximize our performance for the remainder of the season.”
“Last week, we went straight back to the factory and the simulator to work with the team and analyze the previous races so we can carry our momentum into Montreal. The Circuit Gilles Villeneuve is quite tricky and hard to master. It features very long straights, fast chicanes, and high kerbs, which demand a compliant car and a lot of confidence.”
“We’ll need to make progress during practice and get the car into a good window for qualifying. It’s a track where risk-taking is rewarded. The weather can also be quite extreme, as we’ve seen in the past, so it’s another factor to watch closely throughout the weekend. As we’ve seen since the start of the season, the margins between cars are incredibly tight, so we’ll work hard to execute the best weekend possible and try to come away with more points.”
Franco Colapinto will once again be under scrutiny from critics and will need to deliver improved performances in Montreal.
“There were many ups and downs for us as a team during the triple-header. We didn’t achieve the results we were aiming for, but we can see the potential and pace of the car when everything comes together.”
“Pierre and I spent time with the team in Enstone to debrief the recent races and prepare for the next one in the simulator. I’m looking forward to the Canadian Grand Prix and I’m fully ready to be back on track. The Circuit Gilles Villeneuve is a layout I’ve never driven on before, so it will be crucial for me to adapt as quickly as possible in order to be well-prepared for qualifying.”
“As in previous years, the weather will likely play a role during the weekend, so we’ll need to pay close attention to that. The goal is to have a solid weekend and hopefully come away with points from both sides of the garage.”
