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Alpine has filled one of their seats for the 2025 F1 season
Alpine has ended speculation over one of their two seats for the 2025 Formula 1 season.
The team announced Thursday ahead of the Austrian Grand Prix that Pierre Gasly will be returning to the team for the 2025 season on a “multi-year” deal. According to the announcement, the driver “ … has committed to a long-term contract with the team. The agreement, an extension to his current contract, will take Pierre into the 2025 season and beyond.”
In the announcement Gasly outlines how, despite the team’s difficult start to the 2024 season, he feels “at home” at Alpine.
“I feel very much at home at this great team. I enjoy being a real part of both the Formula 1 project and the wider Alpine Cars vision,” said Gasly in the announcement. “I’ve been officially here for over 18 months and it has always been the plan to build a long-term project with the Team. While on-track it’s been a challenging season so far, I remain faithful to the project and I am not going anywhere.
“I am happy with the changes made, the hard work, and the direction the team is taking. There is a lot of potential in this team’s personnel and resources. I’m excited for what is to come in the future and right now I’m focusing on the everyday details that we are putting in to improve our performances.”
Team Principal Bruno Famin hailed Gasly’s experience and potential as a driver, as well as what he means to the Alpine brand as an ambassador.
“The extension of Pierre’s contract with the team is very pleasing. He is a driver with huge experience in Formula 1 and continues to show huge amounts of potential on-track. For Alpine as a brand, he is a great ambassador and we therefore look forward to continuing our collaboration,” stated Famin. “While this is important for our future, we do have to keep our eyes close to what is coming and that is focusing on improving our current package. We have high ambitions this current season and we will work tirelessly to achieve those things. We will take our time in deciding Pierre’s team-mate and we are excited with the options we have on the table.”
This means that one more seat on the 2025 grid has been solidified, and that Alpine has one of their two spots locked up for next season.
As for who may earn that other spot at Alpine, upcoming testing sessions for both Mick Schumacher and Jack Doohan could help determine the answer to that question. However, there is the lingering matter of one Carlos Sainz Jr. While there is every expectation Sainz’s decision is coming down to Williams and Sauber, the recent news that Alpine brought Flavio Briatore aboard in an executive role has seen the French team emerge as a potential suitor for Sainz.
According to multiple reports Briatore is behind a last-ditch appeal to Sainz on behalf of Alpine.
Will Alpine have a Gasly-Sainz lineup next year, or will Gasly be paired with the driver that emerges out of the upcoming testing sessions?
