"Extremely happy": Pierre Gasly after P3 Sprint finish for Alpine in Belgium GP
Jul 30, 2023
Spa [Belgium], July 30 : At the Belgian GP Sprint on Saturday, Pierre Gasly praised an "amazing" performance for him and his Alpine team and explained how he overcame "difficult conditions" to finish third in what he refers to as "a home race".
Alpine made the choice to switch Gasly's complete wet tyres for intermediates after the action got underway under a rolling start. After each driver had pitted, the French driver jumped ahead of the Ferraris and moved up to third.
In order to secure P3, Gasly was then required to fend off the storming Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton and the Red Bull of Sergio Perez. And Gasly was happy to perform for the squad after a challenging start to the year for Alpine.
“Well, I must say it feels amazing. I’m extremely happy to finish in the top three, especially here in Spa, which feels like a home race for us without the French Grand Prix. It was very, very difficult conditions, but I am extremely happy," Formula 1 quoted Gasly as saying.
“Pitted at the right time and managed to hold off Lewis until the end. It does feel very special to do it as well in Spa. Obviously, a thought for Anthoine [Hubert]," he added.
“I’m just extremely pleased for the whole team, because it hasn’t been the smoothest start of the year, but we managed to put it together here today," Gasly said.
Asked whether it was hard to deal with the pressure he was placed under by Perez and Hamilton, the 2020 Italian Grand Prix winner replied: “I must say I gave it everything, I could see him coming back, getting closer, and I was just trying to focus on my driving.
“Making clean laps one after the other. Wasn’t easy, tyres were degrading. Just gave it all and it paid off. Super happy for all the guys, and we will go for it again tomorrow," Alpine racer.
