Mexico’s double-points finish disappeared after the race. Alpine now returns to its most productive circuit, with Gasly chasing another strong result and Colapinto drawing support from closer to home.
Alpine left Mexico empty-handed after finishing with both cars in the top 10 on the road. Now it heads to Interlagos, where it has scored points in every Grand Prix since adopting the Alpine name in 2021.
According to the team, Brazilian weekends have produced 64 points, more than any other circuit during that period.
The standout came in 2024, when Esteban Ocon finished second and Pierre Gasly third in the rain. Their 33 race points lifted Alpine from ninth to sixth in the constructors’ standings in one afternoon.
Gasly’s connection runs deeper. In 2019, he held off Lewis Hamilton at the finish to secure second place for Toro Rosso and his first Formula 1 podium. Last year, his tenth-place finish kept Alpine’s scoring run at Interlagos alive.
This return follows a costly disappointment. Franco Colapinto crossed the line eighth in Mexico and Gasly tenth, but separate yellow-flag penalties dropped both outside the points. Alpine had shown competitive race pace, then lost the five points it appeared to have earned.
For Colapinto, racing in South America brings another source of motivation. In Alpine’s preview, he highlighted the Argentine supporters joining the Brazilian crowd and his determination to give them a strong race. He also pointed to Mexico’s pace as something the team can build on.
“There are so many Argentinians joining the Brazilian fans in the grandstands to support us,” he said.
Brazil returns to a conventional three-practice format this year, giving Alpine more preparation time than on previous Sprint visits. Gasly will hand his car to Gabriele Minì for FP1 before returning in the afternoon.
Another podium would be a substantial leap. The immediate target is more straightforward: reproduce Mexico’s pace and bring home the points that escaped there.
