Pierre Gasly looks back on his early years in Formula 1 with mixed feelings. The Frenchman climbed the ladder at breakneck speed, but that early breakthrough came with a dark side. He inherited the Red Bull seat from Daniil Kvyat almost overnight, only to be swallowed up by the supremacy of Max Verstappen. He’s since gained plenty of experience and a race victory, and has taken on a leadership role at Alpine. Despite a disappointing season last year, Gasly remains ambitious.
In a candid interview with Rolling Stone, Gasly reflected on his first steps in F1. “After my first season I was promoted to Red Bull,” he recalled. “It’s very unusual for someone with only six months in Formula 1 to end up at a top team. I was put on a pedestal straight away, and nobody had ever taught me how to handle the public attention.” When he moved to Red Bull in 2019 he was seen as a rising star, but before the season ended reality hit hard; after the summer break he was dropped back to the then-Toro Rosso. Alongside Verstappen he also bore a lot of criticism.
“At first everything was fun, positive and a bit of a laugh, and then, within the space of a year, it flipped completely,” he admitted. “It was something I could never have imagined: the media attention and the toxic atmosphere I experienced at the time. It was confusing. I didn’t understand how some people could write you off without knowing you as a person.” His age was part of it too. “I was only 21 years old, so still pretty inexperienced in that area.”
‘I want to be the one who brings Alpine to the top’
Gasly is firmer in his boots these days. At Alpine he explicitly sees himself as the team’s flagbearer, especially when times are hard. “It’s quite difficult, because I have to keep the team standing and keep morale up,” he explained. “I have to make sure the 100 people at the circuit and the 1,500 people in the factory are motivated and know that we are capable of fighting at the front of the grid.” In 2025 his resolve was put to the test; the team finished dead last and early shifted its focus to the new regulations.
Those regulations do offer opportunities for Alpine. With a new chassis concept and a new Mercedes power unit behind the cockpit, the team is hoping for a sporting turnaround. “I want to win next year,” Gasly said emphatically. “That’s the only thing I want. And I really have faith in the team and the staff at the factory. I believe we have everything needed to be successful in Formula 1.” Despite last year’s results he remains optimistic. “We know we’re not at the level we want to be, but we also know something big is coming. I really believe in us as a team, and I want to be the one who brings us back to the top.”
