Alpine F1 faces performance worries after Gasly crash at Spa

Pierre Gasly warned that Alpine's Formula 1 car is falling behind the pace set by Racing Bulls and that the team will need effective upgrades to the A526 chassis before the season's next races. He noted Alpine started the year strongly but now trails the Bulls by a single point in the fight for fifth place, and he hopes upcoming technical developments can halt the slide.

During Friday's free‑practice 2 at Spa‑Francorchamps, Gasly lost control approaching turn 13‑14, hit the kerb and slammed into the right‑hand barrier, losing his rear wing and causing significant damage to the car. The incident triggered a red flag; Gasly emerged unharmed and described the crash as a “big snap” that forced his car off the track. Alpine team manager Steve Nielsen said the narrow runoff zones at Spa made the penalty for such errors severe.

Team‑mate Franco Colapinto posted a strong seventh‑place lap in the same session and said Alpine is targeting Racing Bulls as the next rival to beat.