The anticipation for the next round of the Formula 1 season is building as teams prepare for the Austrian Grand Prix, one of the most special events on the calendar. Alpine, in particular, is experiencing a positive momentum thanks to the performances of Franco Colapinto and Pierre Gasly in recent races.
Colapinto, who has scored points in four of the last six races, is hopeful for another strong performance at Spielberg, a track known for its elevation changes and high-speed corners. Ahead of the race, he commented: “It was positive for the team to secure another double points finish in Barcelona last time. There is a very good feeling in the team now that we are on the right track in Europe. I am looking forward to the upcoming double-header starting this week in Spielberg.”
Colapinto’s past performances at Spielberg provide optimism for a successful outing. He achieved a third place in the 2022 Formula 3 sprint race and a second place in the 2024 Formula 2 feature race at the same venue. “I have had some success in the past in Spielberg, including a podium in the main Formula 2 race in 2024 and a podium in my rookie season in Formula 3 in 2022,” Colapinto recalled. 
He also discussed the need for precision during qualifying, as it is the shortest circuit of the season, where every millisecond counts. “It has the shortest lap time of the season, making it feel relentless; the pace on a single lap has to be strong because the differences will likely be closer than at most circuits,” he added. Colapinto expressed the team’s desire to continue competing for points, emphasizing the importance of starting strongly.
Pierre Gasly, Colapinto’s teammate, shared his encouraging impressions from the Alpine car: “To say the last few weeks have been an emotional rollercoaster would be an understatement. I’m very proud of the effort the team has been making lately, both on and off the track, and it has been fantastic to maintain our points-scoring streak. Barcelona posed its challenges, particularly in qualifying, which is an area we need to keep working on. The race was much better; the pace was good, but we are still too far from the top four teams and need to keep pushing to close that gap.”
Gasly noted that Austria is a demanding circuit with little breathing room at the wheel, emphasizing the need to be flawless due to its high-speed nature and sharp elevation changes. The Alpine sporting director, Steve Nielsen, highlighted the team’s continuous improvement as they identify areas for development moving forward in the season. He acknowledged that qualifying remains a fundamental area for enhancement and pointed out the patterns they are beginning to see in the series.
Nielsen stated, “It has been a very intense start to the European tour this season, where we have managed to increase our points tally. Now that we are well into this campaign, we start to see some patterns and trends among both the top and bottom teams. We know the strengths and weaknesses of our package and where to focus. Clearly, qualifying is an aspect we need to improve.” He added that they will be incorporating new components into the cars in upcoming races, maintaining hope for strong performances, particularly at the upcoming Austrian Grand Prix before heading to Silverstone.
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