Pierre Gasly and Jack Doohan aiming for Alpine’s first points at Bahrain Grand Prix
Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images Alpine’s drivers hope to secure the team’s first points of the season at the Bahrain Grand Prix The search for the first points of the 2025 Formula 1 season continues for Alpine. While the team finished on a high note a season ago, rising to sixth in the Constructors’ Championship standings after a slow start to the 2024 campaign, Alpine remains the only points-less team as the grid heads to Bahrain for the fourth race weekend of the season. While Pierre Gasly qualified in P11 for the Japanese Grand Prix, he could not crack the top ten for the team’s first points of the season, and finished 13th. Gasly believes the team’s strong performance during pre-season testing — which was held in Bahrain — sets Alpine up for the first points of the season. “Reflecting on Suzuka, it was a challenging weekend for the team. During the race, the car felt good and we had a nice balance but, like most of the field, we were stuck behind the car in front,” said Gasly in the team’s media preview. “We just lack in a few areas, and we know where we can improve the overall package. It appears Qualifying is even more important right now and just two-tenths of a second is splitting multiple cars, so it is really important we maximize all the fine details. “We leave Japan knowing what we need to do to find a bit more pace ahead of the rest of the triple header. “I’m looking forward to returning to Bahrain this weekend, where we performed well during pre-season testing. Bahrain is a track that has intense tire wear, but we know what to expect after the three days of testing in February even with this year’s unique, cold conditions,” added Gasly. “We’re expecting a much hotter, more normal weekend this time around and hope to build on our pre-season pace and come away with a top-10 result.” On the other side of the garage rookie Jack Doohan reflected on a “tough” weekend in Japan. Doohan’s big crash during FP2, after missing FP1 as former test and reserve driver Ryō Hirakawa participated in a rookie practice session, had the young driver behind the proverbial eight ball all weekend. “The week in Japan was tough but not without its positives. We were able to move up a handful of places over the course of the race and the pace of the car felt better than the first two rounds, which is a good sign coming into Bahrain,” said Doohan. “Thank you again to the team for working tirelessly across the whole weekend, I am grateful for the hard work and effort from everyone. We are taking the days between the races to recharge ahead of this weekend and aim to come into it feeling fresh.” Doohan believes his experience driving the upcoming circuit sets him up for a better performance this weekend. “Bahrain is a track I know quite well from my junior days, having raced there over the past few years in Formula 2. We also had three good days in February for pre-season testing, which we are keen to build off and take our knowledge from that forwards to this race,” added Doohan. “The goal will be to set ourselves up ahead of Qualifying and hopefully be in a good position to capitalise and strive for points on Sunday when it matters.”
Alpine’s drivers hope to secure the team’s first points of the season at the Bahrain Grand Prix
The search for the first points of the 2025 Formula 1 season continues for Alpine.
While the team finished on a high note a season ago, rising to sixth in the Constructors’ Championship standings after a slow start to the 2024 campaign, Alpine remains the only points-less team as the grid heads to Bahrain for the fourth race weekend of the season. While Pierre Gasly qualified in P11 for the Japanese Grand Prix, he could not crack the top ten for the team’s first points of the season, and finished 13th.
Gasly believes the team’s strong performance during pre-season testing — which was held in Bahrain — sets Alpine up for the first points of the season.
“Reflecting on Suzuka, it was a challenging weekend for the team. During the race, the car felt good and we had a nice balance but, like most of the field, we were stuck behind the car in front,” said Gasly in the team’s media preview. “We just lack in a few areas, and we know where we can improve the overall package. It appears Qualifying is even more important right now and just two-tenths of a second is splitting multiple cars, so it is really important we maximize all the fine details.
“We leave Japan knowing what we need to do to find a bit more pace ahead of the rest of the triple header.
“I’m looking forward to returning to Bahrain this weekend, where we performed well during pre-season testing. Bahrain is a track that has intense tire wear, but we know what to expect after the three days of testing in February even with this year’s unique, cold conditions,” added Gasly. “We’re expecting a much hotter, more normal weekend this time around and hope to build on our pre-season pace and come away with a top-10 result.”
On the other side of the garage rookie Jack Doohan reflected on a “tough” weekend in Japan. Doohan’s big crash during FP2, after missing FP1 as former test and reserve driver Ryō Hirakawa participated in a rookie practice session, had the young driver behind the proverbial eight ball all weekend.
“The week in Japan was tough but not without its positives. We were able to move up a handful of places over the course of the race and the pace of the car felt better than the first two rounds, which is a good sign coming into Bahrain,” said Doohan. “Thank you again to the team for working tirelessly across the whole weekend, I am grateful for the hard work and effort from everyone. We are taking the days between the races to recharge ahead of this weekend and aim to come into it feeling fresh.”
Doohan believes his experience driving the upcoming circuit sets him up for a better performance this weekend.
“Bahrain is a track I know quite well from my junior days, having raced there over the past few years in Formula 2. We also had three good days in February for pre-season testing, which we are keen to build off and take our knowledge from that forwards to this race,” added Doohan. “The goal will be to set ourselves up ahead of Qualifying and hopefully be in a good position to capitalise and strive for points on Sunday when it matters.”
