Gasly: Alpine in a 'different league' for 2026

Pierre Gasly hailed Alpine's significant progress after a strong sixth-place finish at the Chinese Grand Prix, declaring the team is in a "completely different league" compared to its struggles just a year ago. The result, achieved with the team's new Mercedes power unit, marks another points finish in a promising start to the 2026 season for the Enstone squad.

Why it matters:

After a turbulent 2025 season marked by the controversial decision to abandon its works engine program, Alpine's competitive step forward is a crucial validation of its new direction. Strong points finishes early in the season build essential momentum and morale, proving the team can be a consistent midfield contender and potentially fight for higher positions as the car develops.

The details:

• Gasly qualified an impressive seventh in Shanghai, just eight-tenths off the dominant Mercedes cars, and capitalized on a chaotic race to secure sixth at the checkered flag.
• His race included battles with Haas's Oliver Bearman and a notable on-track advantage over the retiring Max Verstappen, highlighting the car's inherent pace.
• The French driver pointed to a small technical error at a restart as the reason he couldn't challenge for fifth, stating he lost ground fighting with rivals mid-race.
• Alpine's double-points finish in China, with rookie Franco Colapinto taking tenth, underscores the team's improved performance across the garage.

The big picture:

Gasly's "different league" comment references Alpine's difficult 2025 campaign, where points were scarce. The switch to customer Mercedes power for 2026 appears to have provided an immediate and reliable baseline performance, allowing the team to focus on chassis development and race execution. This early form positions Alpine as a strengthened entity in the tightly packed midfield, a critical step for long-term stability and growth.

What's next:

The immediate focus is on fine-tuning the A526's performance. Gasly expressed confidence that the pace shown in China could translate to upcoming races, particularly the American rounds. The team will aim to build on this positive start, targeting consistent Q3 appearances and capitalizing on opportunities to score big points when the front-running teams falter.