Gasly hails Alpine's 2026 car as best of his career after beating Verstappen

Pierre Gasly has declared Alpine's 2026 Formula 1 challenger the best car of his career after a strong start to the season, capped by a defensive masterclass to hold off Max Verstappen for seventh place at the Japanese Grand Prix. The result underscores Alpine's rapid progress after sacrificing its 2025 campaign to focus on the new technical regulations, with Gasly now consistently outperforming Red Bull in qualifying and race trim.

Why it matters:

Alpine's strategic gamble to write off 2025 is showing early signs of paying significant dividends. For a driver of Gasly's experience to rate this car above even his race-winning AlphaTauri from 2021 signals a fundamental step forward for the Enstone squad. Beating the reigning world champion's team on merit provides tangible proof that the development direction is correct and could signal a shift in the competitive order for the 2026 season.

The details:

• Suzuka Standout: Gasly qualified seventh for both the Grand Prix and the Sprint in Japan, outpacing both Red Bulls each time. In the race, he built a three-second gap to Verstappen before a Safety Car erased his advantage, leading to a 26-lap defensive drive to secure the position by 0.337 seconds.
• Consistent Point-Scorer: The Frenchman is one of only six drivers to score points at every race in 2026, placing him eighth in the Drivers' Championship with 15 points—ahead of Verstappen. Alpine now sits fifth in the Constructors' standings, ahead of Red Bull Racing.
• Car Performance Leap: After fielding the eighth-fastest car in Australia, Alpine has shown a dramatic improvement, boasting the fourth-fastest qualifying car at both Shanghai and Suzuka. Gasly compared its capability favorably to his 2021 AlphaTauri, a car renowned for its strong qualifying performance.
• Development Advantage: Alpine currently enjoys the largest allocation of Aerodynamic Testing Restrictions (ATR) time, a consequence of finishing last in the 2025 championship. This provides a crucial resource advantage for in-season development to close the gap to the front.

What's next:

The team has a clear target: catching the leading pack. Gasly noted the car was only seven seconds behind the Ferrari of Lewis Hamilton at Suzuka, while pulling 18 seconds clear of the car behind.

• With a month until the Miami Grand Prix, Alpine is focused on understanding the car's limitations and bringing targeted updates.
• If the development trajectory continues, Alpine could transform from a midfield team into a consistent threat for top-five finishes, fundamentally altering its position in Formula 1's hierarchy.