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Dutch Grand Prix

Gasly reveals the moment his Dutch Grand Prix changed completely

The Frenchman drove a fantastic race at Zandvoort

Sam Cook Digital Journalist

Sports Journalist who has been covering motorsport since 2023

Tuesday 29 August 2023 10:57

Pierre Gasly has admitted he had to calm himself down during his excellent drive at the Dutch Grand Prix, where he managed to take his fourth career podium – and revealed the moment which turned his race around.

The Alpine driver dealt with the tricky conditions brilliantly, and fought himself into contention for a podium finish after starting the race in 12th through bold strategy decisions and terrific pace.

When it was announced after the red flag on lap 65 that Sergio Perez, who was in third, would be given a five second time penalty for speeding in the pit lane, Gasly knew all he needed to do was stay within five seconds of Perez and a podium would be his.

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That is easier said than done considering Perez's dominant Red Bull, but nevertheless Gasly did exactly that, and managed to get up onto the podium in a main Grand Prix race for the first time with his new Alpine team.

“We did not necessarily imagine being able to fight for the podium but this is new proof that anything can happen in Formula 1," Gasly told Canal+ after the race.

"It was a race with a lot of twists and turns, very complicated, with changing conditions in the rain, on the wet and on the dry: we really had it all.

"Very important strategic choices had to be made. Coming out of the last corner on the first lap, I immediately understood that there was a big opportunity for us so I asked the team to pit directly and it paid off.

“We also took a rather boring penalty, but we managed to recover on the track. At the time of the red flag, it was not necessarily very clear if I was third or fourth. There were a lot of things, we had to stay calm."

Teething problems at Alpine

It hasn't all been plain sailing for Pierre Gasly since his move to Alpine

Gasly has recently admitted that he has struggled to settle in at Alpine having made the switch from AlphaTauri, and has been struggling all season in a car that clearly lacks pace.

He's now up to 10th in the championship standings and will be looking to push his team towards a top five finish in the constructors' championship before the end of the season.

The signs were there in Spa, when he managed to achieve a third place finish in the Belgian GP sprint race, but to do it in the main event is a huge step forward for both Gasly and the team.

He said: "I'm very satisfied with the team's work, we have to keep working and improving the car.

"After Spa, where we made top three in the sprint race, there were already positives, it's taking place with the team, we're learning to work together, it's going in the right direction and we confirm it with this new podium, in the Grand Prix this time, It is extremely pleasing."