Pierre Gasly delivered a standout performance at the Bahrain Grand Prix, securing seventh place and Alpine’s first points of the 2025 Formula 1 season. The Frenchman described the result as a “very happy” moment for the team, highlighting their competitive edge throughout the weekend at the Bahrain International Circuit.
Starting from an impressive P4—elevated from P5 after grid penalties for Mercedes drivers—Gasly showcased Alpine’s potential in a tightly contested midfield. Despite losing a position to defending champion Max Verstappen on the final lap, Gasly remained upbeat, emphasizing the team’s progress after a challenging start to the season.
“Looking at last week, we were struggling a lot, couldn’t make it to the points, and this weekend we were actually competitive and fighting [Verstappen] until the last lap,” Gasly said post-race. “I’m very happy for the team to score those first points—very good strategy, good pit stops, and the car was competitive, so hopefully we can build on that.”
Alpine entered the Bahrain weekend as the only team yet to score points in 2025, making Gasly’s result a pivotal moment. The A525 car demonstrated promising pace, with Gasly qualifying just 0.3 seconds off pole-sitter Oscar Piastri’s time. His ability to hold off Verstappen’s Red Bull for much of the race underscored Alpine’s improved form, a stark contrast to their struggles in Japan the previous week.
“It’s really annoying when you lose a place on the last lap after giving so much,” Gasly admitted, reflecting on Verstappen’s late overtake. “But we can only take positives from this effort.”
Team principal [Name, if available] praised Gasly’s execution, noting the strategic calls and pit-stop efficiency that kept him in contention. The result was particularly significant given Alpine’s qualifying woes earlier in the season, where starting positions often hampered their race-day prospects.
Gasly’s teammate, rookie Jack Doohan, also showed promise but missed out on points after a strategic gamble during a safety car period left him in ninth. Despite the non-score, Doohan’s pace in practice and qualifying signaled Alpine’s potential to fight for consistent points in upcoming races.
The Bahrain Grand Prix marked a turning point for Alpine, who now look to carry this momentum into the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix next weekend. Gasly expressed cautious optimism about the team’s prospects, acknowledging that while Bahrain’s layout suited the A525, further analysis would reveal if this form could translate to other circuits.
“[In the] winter test here, we were very competitive, which got our expectations quite high,” Gasly explained. “We know there’ll be some other tracks where we’ll have opportunities, so we’ll keep pushing.”