Gasly Slams 'Inexperienced' Rookies After Vegas Turn 1 Carnage

Pierre Gasly's promising Las Vegas Grand Prix unravelled in a chaotic Turn 1 incident, with the Alpine driver pointing the finger at 'inexperienced' rookies for the multi-car pile-up that wrecked his race. Gasly, who had secured another top-10 qualifying spot, suffered significant diffuser damage after being caught in a tangle initiated by Gabriel Bortoleto's lock-up and subsequent collision with Lance Stroll, which then pitched Gasly into a spin.

Why it matters:

After a strong qualifying performance, Gasly's early exit from contention highlights the significant impact of first-lap incidents, particularly when rookie drivers are involved. This not only cost Alpine valuable points but also reignites discussions about track safety and driver conduct in the notoriously tricky opening corners of street circuits.

The details:

• Gasly was an innocent party in a Turn 1 melee, which he described as 'unlucky' and attributed to 'inexperienced' drivers.
• Rookie Gabriel Bortoleto locked up and hit Lance Stroll, creating a chain reaction that sent Gasly into a spin and severely damaged his diffuser.
• Liam Lawson was also involved, reportedly hitting Oscar Piastri in the same incident.
• Car Damage: Gasly's diffuser was 'smashed at the back,' severely compromising his car's aerodynamic performance.
  • With Alpine having frozen development on its 2025 car, the damage left Gasly with no chance of recovery, stating, 'It's not like our car's got huge downforce on it, so if on top of that you get damage, it's just been quite a long afternoon.'
• Race Outcome: Gasly limped to a 15th-place finish, later promoted to 13th after the McLaren cars were excluded, but he was far from the points.

The big picture:

Turn 1 at the Las Vegas Strip Circuit has developed a reputation for first-lap chaos since its debut. Gasly's comments underscore a recurring concern among seasoned drivers about how less experienced racers navigate high-pressure opening laps on circuits with tight, unforgiving corners. This incident detracts from the efforts of teams like Alpine, who are striving for performance improvements despite development freezes.

What's next:

Despite the frustrating race, Gasly highlighted Alpine's recent qualifying improvements, having reached Q3 in consecutive weekends. He emphasized satisfaction with his personal qualifying performance, marking his ninth Q3 appearance of the year. This consistency offers a glimmer of hope for Alpine as they look to build on these 'shoots of progress' and translate qualifying pace into race results in the remaining rounds, even with the current development constraints.