Gasly denies Alpine looking to replicate F1 rival

Pierre Gasly has asserted that Alpine isn't aiming to copy the jump made by McLaren during last year's Formula 1 campaign.

McLaren commenced the 2023 term located towards the rear of the field before successful upgrades in the middle of the season vaulted it up the pecking order.

It scored nine podiums before the chequered flag fell on the campaign and has carried its strong form across to the current season.

However, Alpine has taken a considerable step backwards this year and now sits at the bottom of the Constructors' Championship after the opening two rounds.

“Since I arrived in F1 I must admit I’ve never seen a jump like McLaren did last year, and everyone refers to us and gets back to that jump we’ve seen last year,” Gasly told media including RacingNews365.

“It was incredible, credit to them on that work, everyone would love to make such a development.

“I’m sure if you ask Ferrari, Mercedes if they can improve their cars as much as McLaren did last year they’d go for it.”

Gasly downplays expectations

Alpine has highlighted that improvements to the lacklustre A524 car will not be done overnight.

Team Principal Bruno Famin recently revealed that a lack of traction out of corners is the car's current biggest limitation.

While Gasly acknowledged that Alpine can use McLaren's leap as inspiration, he denied that replicating the improvement is the squad's ultimate goal.

“Obviously it’s got to be motivational and inspirational for all of us to see that it’s achievable, but at the same time we don’t see it as mandatory and like the absolute target of the team,” he said.

“We want to be fighting at the front, we know right now there’s quite a clear order with the top five teams, McLaren, Aston [Martin], being quite ahead of us.

“We know we need to catch up quite a lot until we’re able to fight with them.”