Pierre Gasly secures P9 in Melbourne, bringing Alpine into Q3, while Jack Doohan battles setbacks to claim a solid P14.
Pierre Gasly delivered a solid performance for Alpine F1, making it into Q3 and securing 9th place on the grid in Melbourne, just behind the Ferrari duo on the fourth row.
While Racing Bulls and Williams outperformed expectations with Tsunoda (P5) and Albon (P6), Gasly remained positive about his qualifying session.
“It was a good qualifying session. We struggled more than expected in free practice, but in the end, we managed to put everything together in Q1, Q2, and Q3. It was really close to making it through to Q3, but I put in some strong laps. Of course, we always want more. Tsunoda was surprisingly quick, and so was Albon.”
Gasly and the team made strategic choices with the race in mind, especially with rain in the forecast.
“We focused a bit more on race pace, knowing wet conditions could play a role. The plan is to try and overtake Hamilton at Turn 1. I’m happy—we maximized what we had. Now, we need to close the gap to the cars we expected to be fighting against.”
The French driver is pleased with the team’s progress.
“We’ve been building momentum since the start of the weekend, and I’m happy with the final result. I’d say this is close to our maximum today, considering the impressive pace of some of our rivals. But we’re focused on ourselves, and I’m satisfied with the progress we’ve made session by session. We took it step by step, and the car was strong enough for Q3. Now, we’re in a good position to fight for points, and we’ll give it everything to kick off the season on a high note.”
Doohan’s Solid Effort Halted by Yellow Flags
Jack Doohan also put in a strong qualifying effort, making it into Q2, but ultimately finished P14 due to Lewis Hamilton’s late spin, which prevented him from improving his time.
“It was a good day overall, with a positive qualifying session. Unfortunately, we got caught out by the yellow flag at the end of Q2, but that’s just part of racing. Our pace looked strong before that. Now, we just need to focus on what we can control and be ready when it counts.”
Doohan felt an improvement in the car after setup changes between FP3 and qualifying.
“We made some adjustments between FP3 and qualifying, and I felt a lot more comfortable straight away. A huge thanks to the whole team—both here at the track and back at Enstone and Viry. They’ve been working hard to put us in the best possible position.”
Looking ahead to the race, the young Australian is eager for the challenge.
“Now, it’s all about tomorrow. The goal is to make the most of every opportunity, no matter the weather. We need to position ourselves well with strategy and push forward. I can’t wait to experience this race in front of my home crowd and maximize our package for a strong finish to the weekend.”
Team Perspective: A Tight Midfield Battle
Dave Greenwood, Alpine’s Racing Director, highlighted the competitiveness of the grid.
“We knew coming into the weekend that the field would be extremely close, and today confirmed that, with tiny margins separating everyone.”
He emphasized the team’s productive work throughout the weekend.
“We had a strong Friday and are continuing to unlock the potential of the A525, which is exactly what we need to do at this stage of the season. Both at the track and back at Enstone and Viry, the team has been working hard to refine the package based on the data we’ve gathered.”
Greenwood praised Gasly’s Q3 performance and acknowledged Doohan’s misfortune in Q2.
“Pierre continued his good form from last season, making it into Q3. Jack was also competitive but unfortunately got caught out by the yellow flag in his final Q2 attempt.”
Looking ahead, he expects an unpredictable race.
“We know we’re in a very tight midfield battle, and with the expected weather conditions, anything can happen tomorrow. We need to be ready to seize every opportunity. The conditions will be the same for everyone, which should make for an exciting Grand Prix.”
Alpine is set for a strong fight in Melbourne—now, all eyes are on the race.
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Alpine’s Q3 Boost: Gasly Delivers in Australia Alpine’s Q3 Boost: Gasly Delivers in Australia
