Pierre Gasly believes his Monza pole position “brings belief and motivation” to Alpine as the team look for another strong result this weekend at the Spanish Grand Prix.
Gasly’s maiden Formula 1 pole position last weekend in Italy was one of the shocks of the season, and signified a remarkable turnaround for the Enstone-based team that spent much of 2025 towards the back of the grid.
Speaking on Thursday’s media day ahead of the inaugural race at the Madring, Gasly believes the performance has given the entire team an extra boost which will keep them pushing towards the front.
“It meant a lot to all the team, because it’s not like we’ve had easy weekends, especially coming from last year into 2026,” he said. “We put a lot of effort into this year’s car, and to actually get the reward from all that hard work from everyone was incredible.
“The smiles I could see on the faces in the garage, all the people at the factory – everyone was buzzing. I’m very pleased for all of them that we were able to do it.
“It just brings that extra confidence and boost of motivation that if we actually get everything right, this type of result — which seems unachievable — is actually possible. I think it definitely brings belief and motivation to try to do even better and repeat this type of performance.
“I told the guys it’s been 17 years since there was a pole for Enstone, and I’m not waiting another 17 years until we do another one. So it’s a great boost of motivation, and hopefully we can repeat that in the near future.”
Drivers and teams will face a different test this weekend at the Madring, which features high-speed, banked corners around a circuit that is a new venue for all.
Gasly added “it’s going to be a proper racing track”, and that “I have no idea about the racing yet, but driving-wise in the simulator it was incredible, so I’m excited to see what it’s like in real life.”
Ahead of this weekend, the Frenchman also spent time with footballing legend Zinedine Zidane as the pair filmed a project together, with Gasly stating he was given some advice in the wake of Alpine’s Monza success.
“I’m a big fan of Zizou, so it’s always nice. He’s such a nice guy, and it’s always great to actually have access to him,” he said.
“He’s now the coach of our national team, so you know how much I love football. I was asking questions and trying to get a few bits of information on what’s coming.”
