‘Let’s try and win it’: Alpine’s Nielsen eyes Monza glory with Gasly
Alpine managing director Steve Nielsen is encouraging driver Pierre Gasly to aim for a win at the Italian Grand Prix after a surprise pole position. The team has seen a performance boost following recent upgrades, despite a recent legal setback regarding previous race results.
Why it matters
Alpine's unexpected competitiveness at Monza marks a significant shift in the team's performance trajectory for the season.
Michael Delaney 06/09/2026 at 09:41 06/09/2026 at 11:08
Alpine has suddenly gone from licking its wounds to dreaming of something extraordinary at Monza, with managing director Steve Nielsen daring Pierre Gasly to turn his sensational pole position into an even more unlikely Italian Grand Prix triumph.
Gasly produced one of the biggest surprises of the season in qualifying, edging George Russell by just 0.068 seconds to claim the first pole position of his Formula 1 career.
It was a stunning reward for an Alpine outfit that had hardly looked like a contender in recent races.
Now, with the Frenchman starting at the front of the grid, Nielsen sees no reason for the team to settle for simply enjoying the moment.
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