Welcome at RacingNews365

Become part of the largest racing community in the United Kingdom. Create your free account now!

  • Share your thoughts and opinions about F1
  • Win fantastic prizes
  • Get access to our premium content
  • Take advantage of more exclusive benefits
Sign in
Pierre Gasly

Gasly explains unusual Alpine failure that ended Saudi GP

The Frenchman recorded a first lap DNF in Jeddah after gearbox trouble on his Alpine.

Gasly Bahrain test
Article
To news overview © XPBimages

Pierre Gasly's retirement from the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix was down to a loss of gear synchronisation, he has revealed.

After failing to advance from Q1, Gasly lined up in 18th, one place behind team-mate Esteban Ocon, but reported on the formation lap that he potentially had trouble with the gearbox on his Alpine.

He took to the start, but it quickly became clear that his race was over on the first lap as the team called him back to the pits to retire, to follow on from an 18th place finish in Bahrain to leave the one-time Grand Prix winner 21st and last in the Drivers' standings after two rounds.

Team-mate Ocon was caught up in the Kevin Magnussen-train and managed 13th as Alpine's poor start to the season continued in Jeddah with the reliability concern for Gasly.

"I lost sixth gear, then lost synchronization of all the other gears and at the start, I had no gears which were synchronised," Gasly told media including RacingNews365.

"The highest that I could go was fifth and so we had to retire, and I am disappointed for the team because we are going through a difficult time.

"The laps to the grid were fine, but on the formation lap, the first time I engaged sixth gear, I just lost it completely, so we need further investigation, but it just wasn't our weekend.

"But I can see how much effort and energy everyone is putting in to make improvements and make things better.

"We don't really get the reward of it at the moment, so it is not easy but we'll keep our head high and keep working to find the performance."

Subscribe to our YouTube channel and claim your chance to win F1 cale models and caps

SUBSCRIBE & WIN

Join the conversation!

x
LATEST Red Bull reveal new Perez F1 role