Pierre Gasly managed to turn a challenging weekend into a points finish at the Canadian Grand Prix. Despite qualifying struggles, the Alpine driver climbed to eighth, attributing the result to strategic improvement.
Pierre Gasly's weekend at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal was all about salvaging what he could. After a less-than-ideal qualifying session left him starting 14th, the Frenchman managed to claw his way into eighth place by the end of the race, a feat he described as 'damage limitation'.
Gasly's start to the season was promising, with points finishes in the first three races. However, a DNF in Miami and an underwhelming start in Canada, where teammate Franco Colapinto outperformed him, set a rather low bar for expectations. Still, Gasly made the most of the opportunities that came his way during the Grand Prix.
Getting off the line on medium tires, while most preferred the softs in cool conditions, Gasly navigated his way back into contention. He ultimately finished eighth, narrowly missing out on seventh place to Liam Lawson.
Reflecting on the race, Gasly said, "I'm happy with the... let's call it damage limitation. Considering the struggles throughout the weekend, I'll take these four points." He was pleased with the team's overall performance, as both cars scored points, a rarity for Alpine this season.
Gasly noted that traction has been a significant issue since Alpine introduced upgrades in Miami. The Montreal conditions highlighted these struggles, leaving him to qualify 19th for the Sprint and finish 20th. After the race, he mentioned, "I wasn't comfortable in the car, and I need to understand why."
Despite these challenges, Gasly's performance on Sunday was a pleasant surprise, even to himself. He managed to keep pace with Lawson's Racing Bulls, a car that seemed much quicker over the weekend.
Looking forward, Gasly and the team at Enstone are focusing on resolving these traction issues ahead of the Monaco Grand Prix. "We know exactly what to look for," Gasly explained. "F1 isn't easy; there's a lot to consider with car balance and so forth. But it's clear we need to work on traction to get back to where we were."
Alpine remains fifth in the Constructors' Championship, holding a 14-point lead over Racing Bulls, and was the only midfield team to score with both drivers in Canada. As the season progresses, they'll be keen to address these issues and maintain their competitive edge.