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Finishing sixth and tenth in Shanghai, respectively, Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto scored their first points of the season. This double top-10 finish thrilled Alpine. The team arrives in Japan in seventh place in the constructors' standings, determined to solidify its position in the midfield—or even improve upon it.
After a difficult start to the season in Australia, Alpine bounced back perfectly in Shanghai by scoring its first points of the year (10 points). An encouraging result, even if the team may have some regrets given how the race unfolded.
“I'd been hoping to score these points for a long time, and it was really positive for me and for the team to finish in the points again after such a long stretch, so that's good. Of course, we were aiming for better, and things were looking very promising at the start of the race. We were in fifth and sixth positions. We could have scored a lot more points, but of course, the safety car kind of ruined our race, both mine and Pierre's. But it was still encouraging to see our performance, to see that we could compete at the front and that we were on par with the top teams.”
Despite these circumstances, the result marks a real step forward for the French team. A positive momentum that was felt right inside the factory walls, as Franco Colapinto explained after his visit to Enstone, noting that “everyone seemed really optimistic, happy, and motivated, with the desire to go further.”
Renewed confidence
This strong performance also helps boost the driver's confidence, which had been shaken after a particularly difficult 2025 season.
“When you can compete a bit higher up in the standings, you feel more confident; it pushes you to give that little bit extra in different situations. I think when you're so close to Q3, when you're in the fight, it's different. Last year, unfortunately, we didn't have that. This year, things are looking much better, and, of course, the car has made progress and now seems much closer to the other teams.”
Aware, however, that there is still work to be done, the Argentine emphasizes the team's potential for improvement.
“I also think that knowing we still have a lot of potential to tap into, or that we see many areas for improvement, is really positive. When you're in the leading pack and you know there are still many things to fix and improve, it's even better. So, as far as this year goes, I think we feel more competitive, which makes us happier. ”
But there's no question of getting carried away
Now it's time for the Japanese Grand Prix, which could shake things up. On a circuit that's very different in terms of energy management and corners, the challenge for Alpine this weekend remains to “identify our main weaknesses and the areas we still need to work on,” explains Colapinto.
After an encouraging first sign in China, Alpine heads to Suzuka with ambition but caution. Confirming the progress seen so far will now be the true measure of its return to the forefront of the midfield.
