Alpine head into the Monaco Grand Prix carrying quiet momentum and a sharper sense of purpose, with Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto both arriving in the Principality buoyed by a productive Canadian weekend that delivered the team’s strongest points haul of the 2026 season so far.
As Monte Carlo’s barriers go up and the paddock tightens into its most unforgiving street circuit, Alpine’s focus is simple: keep the points rolling on the sport’s most glamorous pressure cooker.
For Gasly, the Principality is more than just another stop on the calendar. It is a circuit layered with history, precision, and millimetres of margin for error – exactly the kind of challenge that tends to bring out a driver’s finest edges.
This year, he arrives not only with simulator miles at Enstone behind him, but also in unusually buoyant spirits after PSG’s European triumph added an unexpected spark to his race-week mindset.
The one-time Grand Prix winner leaned into both the emotional and technical sides of the weekend.
“I am looking forward to Monaco this weekend, one of my favourite Grand Prix events of the season. It is one of those tracks which has so much prestige and history, so it is a pleasure to drive a Formula 1 car here every year,” commented Gasly in Alpine’s race weekend preview.
"Qualifying is obviously a highlight for us drivers as it is when we are absolutely at the limit and you have this amazing rush of adrenaline which is a unique feeling that only a few of us get to experience. We come off the back of our best team result of the season in Canada with a big haul of points.
"While this is quite positive, we know the weekend was far from smooth for many different reasons. I spent a bit of time at Enstone last week on the simulator and with the engineers to work through a lot of things as we try to improve my comfort in the car.
“We have been putting the hours in to be prepared for this double header across Monaco and Barcelona where we aim to continue our points-scoring streak.
"I also enter race week with a bit of a smile on my face after PSG went back-to-back by winning the Champions League again! That certainly made me happy and I hope I can be equally as pleased this weekend with another good performance in the car," declared the Frenchman.**
It is a rare blend of football joy and Formula 1 focus – but in Monaco, confidence matters as much as outright pace.
Like several of his colleagues living Monte-Carlo, the Argentinean has watched the circuit rise from city streets into a fully armed Grand Prix battleground, and this year he arrives with deeper familiarity, extra simulator preparation, and a clear target: another top-10 push as Alpine aim to extend their scoring streak.
His week, as he described it, has been anything but quiet:
“It's been a very eventful week off for the team since the race in Montréal and one that's been very positive as we look to continue our strong momentum,” he explained.
“I was in the simulator straight away on the Monday after the race and worked hard with the team before a quick visit to Paris on my birthday, which I think you might have seen!
“I was straight back to Enstone for more time with the team afterwards to get ready for the start of the busy European season and Monaco, one of the best races of the year.
“The street track is one of the most exciting for a racing driver with the barriers so close, I'm looking forward to seeing how it feels in this year's lighter and more agile cars.
“I live in Monaco so I've seen them build the track when I've been at home and I can't wait to get on track myself in Free Practice 1 on Friday. We're back to a traditional schedule, for the first time since Suzuka, so we'll be able to get a feel for the track and build up confidence every session.
“That's the key to making sure we enter qualifying ready to push to the maximum. It's exhilarating to keep going faster and faster and as overtaking is so tricky around the track, Saturday is probably the most important all year.
"It's going to be a busy weekend, and our target is to once again finish in the top-10 and continue our solid performance."
With Gasly chasing precision and Colapinto chasing confidence on home streets, Alpine’s Monaco story is less about expectation and more about execution.
In a race where the smallest mistake can end a weekend instantly, the team’s recent upward trend offers hope — but Monte Carlo rarely gives anything away for free.
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