‘I trust Alpine’ - Pierre Gasly notes ‘positive changes’ despite ‘surprise’ exits

Pierre Gasly is confident Alpine will turn things around in the near future despite a raft of departures in the midst of a disappointing Bahrain Grand Prix.

Alpine were the slowest team in the Bahrain F1 season-opener, qualifying 19th and 20th.

Following the race, rumours - which turned out to be true - emerged that technical director Matt Harman and head of aerodynamics Dirk de Beer both resigned from their positions.

Ahead of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix this weekend, Alpine stalwart Bob Bell left his advisory role to join Aston Martin.

Despite the departures, Gasly still has full trust in the team.

"It's always a surprise because I've been quite close to Matt, coming inside the team, trying to understand a bit the philosophy, understand the changes, we've made on this new car," Gasly said.

"So, obviously, it comes as a bit of a surprise. I obviously knew it slightly before. At the end of the day, I'd rather focus on my business. I'm going to drive the car fast and push the team forward and give them clear feedback. And that's where my energy goes into.

"I trust in Renault, I trust in Luca [de Meo, Renault CEO], I trust in the people in charge to bring the team forward.”

Despite the Enstone-outfit enduring their worst start to a season, in terms of outright competitiveness, in a decade, Gasly sees “positive change” within the organisation.

"I know it's contradictory, but there is a lot of positive change going inside the team,” he added.

"In terms of operations, the processes, in the sort of mentality and self reflection we have. In the studies and feedback and reviews of the work we're doing, I just see that we're going more into details and we're trying to really find the last 1% out of everyone, and people are appreciative of that process. And I do see the positive change.

"Obviously, that doesn't mean we go two tenths faster on the race track right now, because the car doesn't provide us the grip we need. But then I'm pretty sure what we need to do long term is definitely [find] the direction we have to go in as a team."