The qualifying in Zandvoort left Alpine with mixed feelings. Pierre Gasly finished 11th and Franco Colapinto 14th, on a day when the French team tested the new parts only on the French driver's car.
Gasly managed to place ninth during Q1 after setting a time of 1:13.115, while Colapinto recorded 1:13.322 and finished 13th. Both managed to advance past the first cut.
In Q2, however, neither could make the definitive leap. Gasly improved to 1:12.616, sufficient to secure 11th place, while Colapinto ended the session with 1:12.628, in 14th place.
The gap to the front was considerable: Lando Norris led Q2 with 1:11.628, while Oscar Piastri had previously set a reference time of 1:11.834.
Zandvoort, a circuit where a good start is key
The result is even more significant due to the characteristics of the Dutch circuit. Zandvoort is one of the Formula 1 tracks where overtaking is more challenging, so the starting order can heavily influence the race.
The Sprint over the weekend had already shown a glimpse of that difficulty. Gasly finished eighth and managed to maintain his position despite Gabriel Bortoleto, who was behind him, not finding a clear opportunity to overtake.
Colapinto also had a positive experience. The Argentine started 13th in the Sprint and overtook Yuki Tsunoda, even though the Japanese driver initially had a competitive car to defend himself. Once the positions were established, Tsunoda also could not regain the position.
Therefore, the start will be crucial for Colapinto, who will have to start from 14th position. Gaining positions in the first few meters could be key to avoid getting stuck in traffic, while losing positions would further complicate his chances of advancing.
Alpine's upgrades will arrive for Colapinto in Monza
Alpine decided that Gasly would debut the upgrade package developed by the team in Zandvoort. The goal is to assess its performance and determine how much the evolution of the A526 can contribute.
The team's intention is for Colapinto to receive the same updates at the Italian Grand Prix, in Monza, in two weeks.
