Alpine Weekend Wrap-Up: Canadian Grand Prix 2025

Mixed Fortunes in Montréal as Alpine Fights Through the Field

BWT Alpine F1 Team leaves Montréal with no points to show from Round 9 of the FIA Formula One World Championship, despite signs of underlying pace from both drivers. On a weekend marked by progress in qualifying and difficult race conditions, the team will now turn its focus to Austria with clear goals for improvement.

Saturday Showed Promise

Franco Colapinto delivered a strong qualifying performance on Saturday, putting his A525 into Q2 and narrowly missing out on a spot in the top ten. His final lap in Q2 was compromised by a light wall tap, but the Argentine still secured P12 on the timesheets—elevated to P10 on the grid after post-session penalties.

“I was pushing hard and felt more comfortable and at ease with the car,” said Franco. “We made some positive changes overnight and a good job with the engineers who have been supporting me a lot.”

On the other side of the garage, Pierre Gasly had a more frustrating session. After showing strong early pace in Q1, a red flag interrupted his flying lap, and he was unable to recover the tyre performance for his final attempt.

“It’s a painful one to take,” Pierre admitted. “We were on course for the top ten before the red flag, and then just couldn’t find the grip again on the final run.”

Race Day: Traffic, Tyres, and Tactical Calls

Sunday’s Grand Prix began with strategic reshuffling. Pierre started from the pit lane after setup changes under parc fermé and opted for an alternative strategy—beginning on new Hard tyres and switching to Mediums on Lap 53. His race, however, was defined by traffic and difficulty overtaking, finishing in 15th.

“We have lots to review after today’s race,” he said. “The pace was decent in clean air, but I was stuck too long in traffic to make anything happen.”

Franco, starting from P10, made a great launch and gained positions early. However, a pit stop on Lap 14 and a re-entry into traffic limited his ability to fight for points, and he ultimately crossed the line in 13th.

“It was a tough race and not what we wanted,” Franco said post-race. “I think the car had good pace but we were unlucky on strategy and timing with traffic. It’s a very challenging track and there are positives we can still take.”

Flavio Briatore: "The Car Had More to Give"

Team Executive Advisor Flavio Briatore acknowledged the team’s potential while voicing his frustration with the weekend’s execution.

“The car had potential for a stronger result. Franco did a good job and Pierre had the pace for more,” he said. “It was a difficult race with some missed opportunities, and we must regroup. We need to give our drivers a better car and the tools to fight.”

Looking Ahead: Red Bull Ring Beckons

Alpine now looks toward the Austrian Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring, a high-speed circuit where strong straight-line performance and low downforce setups play a key role.

The team remains focused on unlocking more consistent performance from the A525 and capitalizing on opportunities during the European leg of the season.

Trak Racer: Proud Partners of the BWT Alpine F1 Team

At Trak Racer, we’re proud to stand alongside the BWT Alpine F1 Team as an official partner. Our relationship is built on shared ambition, precision, and performance, qualities that define both elite motorsport and high-end simulation. Whether it’s behind the wheel of an F1 car or a racing simulator, we’re committed to pushing the limits of what’s possible. Explore the gear trusted by real-world racing drivers — Shop the Alpine Racing TRX.