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Alpine F1 driver Pierre Gasly claimed that the first set of upgrades the team planned to bring in Japan this weekend would be a 'step forward' after their dismal start to the 2024 season.
The French outfit, which finished P6 in the Constructor's Championship last year, has failed to finish in points in the first three races and is struggling to get off the back rows of the grid and currently sit in P10.
As per Motorsport Italy, Pierre Gasly was positive to see the new upgrades and how they would improve the underlying performance of A524. He said:
“I heard that many teams will bring updates to Suzuka. I think it's good that we will also bring some new things, so we can see what effect they will have on our car.
"It will be a step forward compared to the situation we are in now, at the moment we need every single update possible to improve performance. So it's positive. I know there will be more to come later."
Gasly added that he believed Alpine needed to understand the general situation of sticking with their new concept of going in a different direction.
Pierre Gasly chimes in about his future with Alpine
Pierre Gasly stated that it was important for the team to keep working to better understand the concept before the new regulations in 2026.
As per RacingNews365, the Frenchman pointed out that the Alpine's progress in the 2024 season might influence his decision to stay with them for next year. He said:
“For sure - the understanding of what we have and the concept we have, the car we have, the potential. 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.”
Pierre Gasly and his teammate Esteban Ocon are both out of contract at the end of the 2024 season. The French duo have not shown any signs of changing outfits for the next year thus far and seem focused on turning the fortunes of the Endstone-based team around in the upcoming races.
