Pierre Gasly ends Alpine’s scoring drought in Bahrain, finally putting points on the board after a difficult start to the 2025 season.
Alpine F1 Team boss Oliver Oakes can finally breathe a sigh of relief. After a tough start to the season, the French outfit is no longer stuck at zero. Pierre Gasly’s impressive weekend in Bahrain delivered their first six points of the year.
Heading into the fourth round of the season, Alpine was the only team on the grid yet to score. That changed when Gasly put in a stellar qualifying run to start fourth on the grid, converting it into a seventh-place finish on Sunday. He held his ground well but was inevitably passed by quicker Ferraris, Red Bulls, and McLarens.
“As a team, we’re pleased to leave Bahrain with our first points of the season,” said Oakes. “It’s a good feeling to get off the mark and reflects the hard work going on at both Enstone and Viry.”
The timing of the safety car didn’t do them any favors. Alpine had already pitted both cars before it came out, leaving them exposed in the final stages. Gasly fought hard, even managing to hold off Max Verstappen for a while, though he eventually lost a position on the last lap.
“Pierre gave it everything to defend,” Oakes added. “It’s always tough to lose a spot right at the end, but he drove a great race and earned valuable points.”
As for Jack Doohan, it was a mixed weekend. The young Australian showed solid pace early on but struggled with tire degradation in the final stint. Despite finishing outside the points, the team sees potential.
“Jack showed encouraging speed, especially at the start,” Oakes said. “The hard tires didn’t work in his favor in the last part of the race, and he lost ground. We’re taking points home, but there’s still work to do ahead of Jeddah next week.”
Doohan Given Until Summer to Prove Himself?
Rumors in the Sakhir paddock suggest Doohan has been told he’ll remain in the seat at least through the summer — giving him time to prove he deserves a longer-term place in F1.
Oakes didn’t confirm the speculation, but he was full of praise for Doohan’s progress after the race.
“He’s done a solid job this weekend and overall. Sure, his crash in FP1 in Japan was a setback, but here in Bahrain he bounced back. In qualifying, he was just half a tenth away from Q3 — that stings, but it shows he’s right on the edge.”
“In the race, his first two stints were strong. Things got trickier after the safety car when the pack bunched up and the cars around him had more pace. Still, he had a good weekend and we’re happy with his development.”
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Gasly Delivers as Alpine Breaks Points Drought at Last
Gasly Delivers as Alpine Breaks Points Drought at Last
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