Pierre Gasly’s current contract with Alpine will expire at the end of 2024 and the Frenchman revealed a critical factor influencing his decision on where to race next: being part of a works team.
At 28, Gasly’s is approaching a pivotal point in his F1 career. While he has given no indication that he intends to leave Alpine, the 2020 Italian GP winner is keeping his ear to the ground, listening to the rumbles of F1’s highly dynamic driver market.
Regardless of the potential opportunities that may come his way, Gasly emphasizes the importance of remaining with a works team in the future.
Having driven in the past for Red Bull and for Toro Rosso/AlphaTauri, and now with Alpine, he now recognizes the stark differences between a manufacture-backed team and a customer outfit.
Although Alpine is currently facing challenges, Gasly seems optimistic about the team’s future, precisely because of the financial security it enjoys thanks to parent company Renault.
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“That’s important, yeah,” Gasly told the media in Australia last week.
“I’ve been on both sides of being with AlphaTauri and Honda and Renault when I started in 2017, and obviously the ceiling is higher.
"There’s no limit when you’re a manufacturer. You can just set your own limits and develop and invest as much as you want.
“So I do see that benefit from being a manufacturer in Alpine, and obviously funding is not the issue.
“That’s why I do believe there is no reason and there is no limit to ourselves and the way we’re going to approach the future.”
While Gasly underscores the advantage of a works team's resources, it's important to remember that F1's mandated budget cap limits overall spending by all teams.
However, manufacturer backed teams often have superior facilities and a larger pool of in-house expertise, allowing them to potentially be more efficient with their resources under the cap.
Looking towards the future, Gasly will need to consider his longer-term trajectory in the sport in light of F1’s looming regulation overhaul in 2026.
A snapshot of Alpine’s current state of affairs paints a bleak picture, with the Enstone squad struggling for good results while also working to stabilize its management foundation after multiple disruptions in the recent past.
When questioned about how Alpine's current performance might influence his 2025 plans, Gasly offered a nuanced perspective.
He emphasized the importance of understanding Alpine's current approach to car design and development, not just the raw pace of the car itself.
“For sure - the understanding of what we have and the concept we have, the car we have, the potential [is important].
“More important is the understanding of what we are doing.
"There’s a big regulation change in 2026, which will be a challenge for every team, whether it’s on the engine side or the car side.
“It’s not that because that car concept isn’t working, that we don’t know what we’re doing, but it is very important that we’re able to identify and come up with solutions and all that understanding.”
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