BWT Alpine Formula One Team heads to Circuit of the Americas for the United States Grand Prix after a difficult run of results. Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto are hoping that the team’s recent qualifying pace and strong North American form this season will turn into points in Texas.
The United States Grand Prix in Austin, Texas, is the team’s second race on American soil this season. It also begins a triple-header that continues to Mexico City and São Paulo. The Enstone-based squad has struggled to score in recent weeks, and both drivers are open about it, but they also point to the team’s form in qualifying.
A demanding circuit with room to overtake
Circuit of the Americas, usually shortened to COTA, has been the permanent home of the US Grand Prix since 2012. Its layout borrows from established venues such as Silverstone and Istanbul Park. The lap starts with a 30.9-metre (101 ft) climb from the start line up to Turn 1, then runs straight into the fast Esses. The long back straight into Turn 12 is a clear overtaking spot and leads into the twisting Stadium section, where the team expects plenty of action.
Gasly admits the championship picture is not in Alpine’s favour
Pierre Gasly calls the race one of the highlights of the season. He also gives a frank view of where the team stands:
“It has been a difficult past few weeks for us as a team where results have not gone our way. We know what is at stake in the Championship and, right now, it is not in our favour.”
He says the team has to keep getting the most out of the car and adding performance, and he points to his own recent qualifying results: “On my side, I have had Q3 appearances at the last three races and my focus is on continuing that run and translating that pace into good points for the team.”
Austin has been a good track for him in qualifying. According to the team, Gasly has reached Q3 at COTA with every team he has driven for and has never been out-qualified by a team-mate there.
Colapinto returns to the scene of his 2024 breakthrough
Franco Colapinto is looking forward to a stretch of races closer to home. “Driving in Texas, Mexico City and São Paulo is amazing for me and I get to enjoy a lot of support from fans who are closer to home,” he says. He also accepts that the team needs to improve:
“We have had a run of difficult races over the past few weeks, but I’ve been back in Enstone with my engineers and we’ve all been hard at work to make sure these next ones are much better.”
Austin is where Colapinto scored points in 2024, in only his fourth Formula One start. His pass on Fernando Alonso in that race won the 2024 overtake of the year award.
Form worth building on
The team has done well at its earlier North American races this season. Both cars finished in the top 10 in every Sprint and Grand Prix in Miami and Canada. At least one Alpine driver has also reached Q3 in each of the last five Grands Prix. The team hopes to turn that one-lap speed into a better race result this weekend.
F1 Academy triple-header for Gademan
F1 Academy is also on the Austin bill, with three races over four days. Nina Gademan represents the team. She has free practice and qualifying on Thursday, then races on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. She is third in the standings with five races left, after taking two podium finishes at the Dutch Grand Prix in August.
The United States Grand Prix weekend takes place at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas.
Source: media.alpinecars.com