Doohan Edges Gasly as Alpine’s Struggles Deepen in Miami

Alpine Off the Pace Again Despite Doohan's Solid Effort

Jack Doohan beats teammate Gasly in Miami quali, but Alpine’s lack of pace keeps both drivers far from the Q3 battle.

Doohan secured 14th place in qualifying for the Miami Grand Prix, showing flashes of promise in what continues to be a difficult season for Alpine F1. Despite speculation over his future with the team, the Australian outpaced teammate Pierre Gasly on a track that didn’t play to the strengths of the struggling A525.

“Qualifying ended on a more positive note today,” Doohan said after the session. “Of course, Q3 would have been nice, but the car felt like it was in the right window and we pushed hard to get everything we could out of the session.”

Doohan looked competitive early on. “We got into the rhythm quickly in Q1 and the first sector felt strong. With the gaps so tight, it’s the small details that make the difference. We’ll go through the data tonight to find where we can improve and see what’s possible for the race.”

With rain in the forecast, Doohan sees a chance to move up in the field. “The weather could open up some opportunities. The goal is to hold position and be ready to make the most of any chances that come our way.”

Pierre Gasly, meanwhile, had a tough session and qualified only 18th. He struggled with confidence in the car and said performance just wasn’t there. “That’s not the result we wanted. We made a few changes before qualifying to try and get the car in a better place,” Gasly explained.

“In the end, we weren’t quick enough across any of the runs. We need to understand why. The car didn’t feel the same as it did earlier in the weekend.”

Gasly also pointed to traffic as a factor. “I was the first out on track for my final run and hit traffic in Sector 1. The lap itself was clean, but we just didn’t have the speed.”

The French driver did take a small victory from the Sprint earlier in the day, scoring a single point after post-race penalties bumped him up to eighth. “It’s good to get a point from the Sprint, even if it came under unusual circumstances. Now we’ll regroup and focus on what we can do in the race.”