The head of the French team came out to speak, after the race at the Hermanos Rodríguez circuit, about the team’s performance.
The director of AlpineSteve Nielsen, analyzed the team’s performance in the Mexican Grand Prix and highlighted the effort of the pilots in a race marked by the limitations of the A525 single-seater. So much Franco Colapinto as Pierre Gasly faced difficulties in maintaining a competitive pace, which was reflected in their final positions: 16th and 15th°, respectively.
Nielsen acknowledged that The car had serious handling problems. and that the strategies implemented failed to compensate for the vehicle’s shortcomings. Despite the adverse conditions, the team director appreciated the effort of both drivers and clarified that They were allowed to compete against each other without restrictionsalthough with caution to avoid unnecessary risks.
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Steve Nielsen’s analysis, after the Mexican Grand Prix
The Alpine team manager explained that the team adapted its strategy mid-race, after observing that other drivers managed to extend the life of their tires. “We decided to take a risk with Pierre by switching to soft compounds ahead of schedule“, commented Nielsen. This decision sought to take advantage of a possible advantage, although the final result was not what was expected.
Regarding the internal competition between Colapinto and Gasly, Nielsen clarified: “We gave them the opportunity to fight for positions, without taking unnecessary risks.” The director also highlighted that, although the A525 does not offer competitive performance, both pilots gave their best in a difficult context.
The income of Virtual Safety Car (VSC) in the final laps, after the Carlos Sainz incident, prevented Colapinto from overtaking Gasly. “We knew it would be a complicated afternoon, and so it was,” admitted Nielsen, who highlighted the merit of the drivers for staying on the track despite the car’s limitations.
The Argentine driver evaluated his performance in the Mexican GP and noted that the wear of the hard tires affected his pace for much of the race. “I did 50 laps crawling, without any grip“, declared Colapinto, who acknowledged that, although he improved with the soft compounds, the change came too late to recover positions.
Colapinto also mentioned the problems with Lance StrollAston Martin driver, who forced him to go off the track in the first round. “Never look in the mirrors”, criticized the Argentine, although he managed to recover quickly. Despite the technical difficulties, the pilot maintained a positive attitude and looked forward: “We have to work for the next one“, he stated, with his sights set on the Brazilian Grand Prix, which will be held on November 9.
The Alpine team accepted that the A525 does not have the necessary performance to compete on equal terms. However, Nielsen and Colapinto agreed that the analysis of the race will serve to improve in the coming dates, although the room for maneuver remains limited. “There is not much more to rescue, but we will learn from this“concluded the Argentine pilot.
Source: Ambito
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