Can Alpine's Gasly and Colapinto Close the Gap to Racing Bulls?

The tussle between Racing Bulls and Alpine for that coveted fifth spot in the World Championship standings has been a fascinating subplot this season. As it stands, Racing Bulls have carved out a 32-point lead, leaving Alpine's Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto plotting a comeback.

This lead was bolstered by Racing Bulls’ impressive performance across the Azerbaijan, Bahrain, and Singapore races, where they snatched 23 points while Alpine's tally was, unfortunately, a big fat zero. With six races remaining, including the imminent United States Grand Prix at the Circuit of The Americas, the gap is significant but not insurmountable.

Alpine has been here before. In 2024, Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly pulled off a stunning double podium in a drenched Interlagos, bagging 33 points in one afternoon. The team's A526 car has shown potential, often outpacing Racing Bulls' VCARB 03 in qualifying, yet that speed has not consistently translated into points, thanks in part to a rather infamous collision between Colapinto and Gasly in Azerbaijan.

Racing Bulls, meanwhile, have been adept at capitalizing on opportunities, even if luck has occasionally played a role, as New Zealander Arvid Lindblad admits. "We've often outscored them even when they were quicker," he reflects, pointing to Baku as a race where fortune favored them.

Alpine's immediate challenge is to recover from recent setbacks and consistently score in the remaining races. Colapinto acknowledges the need for a fresh start, especially after a double non-score in Singapore. "We need a reset," he admits, recognizing the fast pace of Formula 1 and the necessity to find performance quickly.

Alpine’s car has been quick on Saturdays, but tyre management issues have sometimes hindered race performance. “We’ve been competitive on Saturdays,” Colapinto states, “and mostly strong on Sundays, except during tricky conditions like in Malaysia.” He remains optimistic about extracting more pace from the car in the final races.

Gasly, for his part, is aware of the limitations within the Alpine package. Despite qualifying well, their race results have been marred by a series of unfortunate events. "We've had a mixed bag of unlucky incidents," he says, referencing the challenges in Baku and Sepang.

Yet, Gasly remains hopeful, drawing on past successes with the team. "It's a big gap, but I remember 2024 when we suddenly scored big in Brazil," he reflects. "It’s a tough challenge, but we'll take it one race at a time and see where we end up."

As the season heads into its final stretch, Alpine will be hoping that history repeats itself, and that they can turn the tables on Racing Bulls, starting this weekend in Austin.