With Gasly just shy of Q3 and Doohan gaining ground, Alpine prepares for every scenario amid rain threats at iconic Suzuka.
Alpine F1 heads into race day in Japan with cautious optimism after a solid qualifying session that saw Pierre Gasly narrowly miss out on Q3.
The Frenchman delivered an impressive performance in the A525, showing real progress through the practice sessions and eventually securing P11 in Q2—just shy of the top ten.
“I have mixed feelings after qualifying,” Gasly admitted. “As expected, it was incredibly tight out there, with just tiny gaps between cars. The car felt good, the balance was there, and I could really push—especially in sectors one and three where we were competitive.”
While Alpine expected to lose a bit of time in the middle sector due to their setup direction, Gasly praised the team’s effort and believes they’ve taken a real step forward.
“We’ve made progress, and I’m confident heading into tomorrow. The rain is lurking, and honestly, it would be welcome—it always shakes things up and opens up more opportunities to score big. We’ll see what happens.”
On the other side of the garage, Jack Doohan faced a tougher challenge, having had minimal track time before qualifying. Despite that, he managed to bring the car home in P19, gaining valuable experience on one of the calendar’s most demanding circuits.
“Huge thanks to the team for the incredible work overnight to get the car ready,” said Doohan. “We had to play catch-up in FP3, making big steps forward with every run. The car was okay, though we’re still lacking a bit of stability in some areas.”
The young Aussie was on pace for Q2, but a small mistake at Spoon Curve cost him dearly.
“I ran a little wide and had to back off, which hurt us down the straight. Still, the pace was there. And with the weather being unpredictable tomorrow, anything can happen. Wet or dry, we’re aiming to move up.”
Alpine’s Sporting Director Dave Greenwood was quick to commend the team for their effort, especially the crew who prepared Doohan’s car overnight.
“Jack did a solid job today. Given the circumstances, we built his program up gradually in FP3 using soft tyres. He increased his pace smartly and showed promise in Q1. With a clean lap, Q2 was definitely within reach.”
As for Gasly, Greenwood noted how small the margins were—just five hundredths separated him from Q3.
“Pierre was happy with the changes we made since China, and it showed. The competition is incredibly tight, but it’s encouraging to see our car performing well in the first sector compared to our rivals.”
Looking ahead to race day, all eyes are on the skies. Forecasts suggest mixed conditions with a chance of rain—perfect for a shake-up at Suzuka.
“Races here are never dull,” Greenwood added. “Whatever the weather brings, we’re ready to fight for points.”
- Discover More>Hulkenberg, Bortoleto Miss Q2 in Suzuka Nailbiter
- Follow us on >FACEBOOK and >TWITTERfor F1 updates
Gasly Eyes Top 10 at Suzuka as Rain Threat Looms Gasly Eyes Top 10 at Suzuka as Rain Threat Looms