Alpine hope 'technical leader' Pierre Gasly can help them bridge the gap between the big boys of F1

Alpine CEO Laurent Rossi hopes Pierre Gasly can become the 'technical leader' of the team and help them bridge the gap to the frontrunners of the F1 grid. The Frenchman joined the Enstone-based team from AlphaTauri after the conclusion of the 2022 season and will compete alongside compatriot and longtime rival Esteban Ocon.

The 2020 Italian Grand Prix winner was the de-facto leader in AlphaTauri, helping the team grow with his experience. Rossi hopes the Frenchman can do the same for his new team.

Speaking on his expectations from Pierre Gasly, Rossi said:

“Hopefully he’s going to bring what we need, which is to continue developing the car, because at the moment, we are still pretty much in the midfield and we need to take the car a notch up," Rossi said.

"So that's what Pierre, we hope, is going to bring. I mean, he was the technical leader in many ways, I guess, at AlphaTauri. We want him to continue doing that, grow the team, grow himself with us and take us to a new level.”

It remains to be seen how Ocon will take the news of Rossi looking to Gasly for leadership, as it could potentially lead to conflict in the French team.

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Pierre Gasly praised Alpine's 2022 F1 car

Pierre Gasly claimed he understands why Alpine finished fourth in the constructors' championship in 2022 after driving the team's car at the Pirelli tire test in Abu Dhabi.

Speaking to the media, including Sportskeeda, Gasly explained how he was able to spot the strengths of the car. He also spoke highly of the team, saying:

"I've done only a day in Abu Dhabi, but I can definitely spot some very good strengths in this car, and the potential that it has. They finished fourth in the championship for a reason, and now I understand this reason, not just from the package but with how the team operates."

The 26-year-old was also impressed with Alpine after Fernando Alonso overtook him at the 2022 Brazilian GP - showing potential for Gasly's 2023 campaign. He said:

"As the race goes on, then we realise Alpine even with Alonso starting from who knows where … from center of Sao Paulo, is overtaking us after 20 laps, which is obviously good news for me. I’m happy to see them performing like that."

It remains to be seen whether or not the Frenchman will impress with Alpine in 2023.