F1 News: Pierre Gasly Speaks Out On Alpine's Rumored Engine Separation From Renault

Pierre Gasly discussed Alpine's rumored engine separation from Renault, maintaining a neutral stance and expressing trust in the team's management.

Nov 15, 2023; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Alpine driver Pierre Gasly of France speaks during media availabilities at Las Vegas Strip Circuit. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports / Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

In a recent flurry of speculation surrounding Alpine's engine partnership with Renault, Pierre Gasly offered insights, clarifying the team's position amid rumors of a strategic upheaval set for 2026. Despite widespread discourse suggesting that Alpine may sever its longstanding relationship with Renault as its engine partner, Gasly maintained a discernibly neutral stance, stressing that his primary focus remains on performance rather than the swirling rumors.

Gasly expressed firm confidence in Alpine's leadership, stating, as quoted by Motorsport Week:

“Well, on my side obviously the main focus is on my job, which is to deliver the best result and extract the max out of the car performance.

“On the rest, I think I’m subject and all the conversations are very open with the team and the top management.

“To me, I trust in the decision of the top management and I don’t have any particular worry on that side.

“Things are very clear; I know where I’ve got to focus on and we’ve got a lot of work on the table with the car we’ve got and that’s where all the focus is going into.”

Speculation has intensified following reports that Alpine might shutter its engine operations in Viry-Chatillon and transition to utilizing power units from other manufacturers when the new Formula 1 regulations take effect. Performance setbacks have plagued the Renault engines since the V6-turbo hybrid's inauguration in 2014, and the freeze on engine development enacted in 2022 has not eased these challenges.

Gasly, whose contract with Alpine concludes after this season, is in a pivotal phase of his career, with future commitments potentially influenced by the team's engine strategy. Aware of the implications, Gasly noted:

“Obviously everything comes into play, there’s no surprise in that as you would expect.

“But as I’ve said, I think the conversations are very transparent with the team and that’s why I’m happy on that hand.

“On my side personally as a driver, I have no comment to make on such a topic.

“I know where the team stands and that’s what’s important to me and I trust in the conversations we’ve got.”

Drawing from his experiences in both works and customer teams, Gasly reflected on the operational differences, explaining:

“Fundamentally being a works team you don’t have any limitation, you set your own limits. And that’s the advantage of being a works team.

“From the moment you work with another party then obviously the regulation is made at this stage that there is a clear parity between all the different parties, especially on the engine side.

“But you lose a bit of the flexibility that you can have as a works team.”

The French driver also shed light on the integral role of engine dynamics within Formula 1's evolving landscape, specifically looking ahead to the regulatory changes anticipated in 2026.

“They’re clearly showing what’s possible to achieve. You’ve got signs that it’s possible to be competitive even without running your own engine.

“So that’s for sure in the balance, but more globally, I think it’s just important to have all the options on the table and then after I choose the top management to make the right decision for the team.”