Pierre Gasly was bullish in his hopes for the F1 2026 season, saying that, at this time in his career, \u201cI just want to win\u201d \u2013 and he hopes Alpine produces a car capable of doing so.<\/p>\n
Gasly will start his 10th season in Formula 1 in 2026, and despite Alpine having finished bottom of the 2025 Constructors\u2019 standings, the team opted to switch full focus to its 2026 challenger early in the hope of making up ground.<\/p>\n
Pierre Gasly: \u2018I just care about being fast\u2019 in new Alpine<\/p>\n
Want more PlanetF1.com coverage? Add us as a preferred source on Google<\/a> to your favourites list for news you can trust.<\/p>\n Alpine will be unveiling the livery of its new car, the A526, on Friday 23 January, ahead of the first pre-season shakedown test in Barcelona three days later.<\/p>\n Now aged 29 and holding a contract with Alpine for the next three seasons, Gasly is heading into his peak years as a Formula 1 driver and wants nothing more than to add more winners\u2019 trophies to his tally after an emotional victory at Monza in 2020.<\/p>\n Alpine<\/a> is switching to using a customer power unit from Mercedes in the new season, and Gasly spoke of the work he is doing behind the scenes to try and hit the ground running in 2026.<\/p>\n Having mostly driven midfield machinery after his short stint at Red Bull early in his career, he hopes the A526 can bring his talent to the fore.<\/p>\n \u201cI just care about being fast,\u201d Gasly said towards the end of 2025.<\/p>\n \u201cIf we\u2019ve got a good car, I do believe next year could be the first time I get a car to really show my talent and my skills, and that\u2019s all I care [about].<\/p>\n Looking ahead to huge changes in the F1 2026 season<\/p>\n Explained: F1\u2019s complex power unit upgrade system from 2026 onwards<\/a><\/p>\n F1 2025 vs F1 2026: Nine key questions ahead of huge regulation changes<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cIf I need to do more work or more preparation, I\u2019m the kind of guy to do it. I don\u2019t leave anything on the table, and I\u2019m planning this winter to work even more with the team to make sure I\u2019m on top of any advantage I could gain.<\/p>\n \u201cWhether it\u2019s going to be good or better or not for racing, I don\u2019t know, but I\u2019m at the stage of my career where I just want to win and I\u2019ll do anything I can do to make it happen next year.\u201d<\/p>\n Heading into an all-new regulation cycle, drivers have already spoken about the extra mental load they expect to face by managing energy deployment from a much larger electrical component in their power units, along with all-new active aerodynamics that will create a significantly different driving experience.<\/p>\n Gasly<\/a> recently shared pictures of spending time in the Alpine simulator ahead of the new season, and having had the experience of driving one of Ayrton Senna\u2019s first cars in Formula 1 when the Brazilian great was a part of \u2018Team Enstone\u2019 in its guise as Toleman, the amount drivers will have to think about in 2026 will be much higher.<\/p>\n \u201cI know there is still a lot to figure out, and I know that it\u2019s going to be a big change for us,\u201d Gasly noted.<\/p>\n \u201cThere might be more to think about inside the car in terms of being quite wise and strategic in the way we use the energy and the way we drive.<\/p>\n \u201cI had the chance last year to try Senna\u2019s car in Silverstone from \u201983 [1984 Toleman TG183B, ed.] and all you had to care about was the wheel and the gear shift, H [pattern] gearbox, and that was it. No electronics, nothing \u2013 which was quite pure.<\/p>\n \u201cI think going into next year, there\u2019s going to be a lot more to manage and a lot more to be aware of in terms of engine recovery, battery and even racing wise, it\u2019s not going to be only about being faster and outbraking your opponent. It\u2019s how will I use my energy to make sure you can stay ahead etc?<\/p>\n \u201cSo, quite a lot to go through over the winter to get ready for it, because I expect quite a change.\u201d<\/p>\n Additional reporting by Thomas Maher<\/p>\n Want to be the first to know exclusive information from the F1 paddock? Join our broadcast channel on WhatsApp<\/a> to get the scoop on the latest developments from our team of accredited journalists.<\/p>\n You can also subscribe to the PlanetF1 YouTube channel<\/a> for exclusive features, hear from our paddock journalists with stories from the heart of Formula 1 and much more!<\/p>\n