F1 News: Pierre Gasly Speaks Out Following FP2 Crash Ahead Of Japanese GP
In an abrupt end to the second free practice session at the Japanese Grand Prix, Pierre Gasly crashed into the barriers. While Gasly remained unscathed, his Alpine team now face an extensive overnight repair.
Key Takeaways:
- Gasly's crash during the closing minutes of FP2 at Suzuka brought an abrupt end to the session with a red flag.
- Despite posting one of the slower times of the day, Gasly pinpointed unexpected tyre wear as a challenge, echoing sentiments from other drivers.
- Though the Alpine team had a challenging start, Gasly remains hopeful for a notable improvement and a strong qualifying performance.
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While navigating the iconic Suzuka circuit, Pierre Gasly took a dramatic turn during the final moments of the second practice session. Misjudging his speed at the second Degner corner, Gasly ended up locking up and subsequently collided with the barrier.
"I just lost the front slightly and I could not correct it in time and that meant we slid through the gravel and into the barrier," Gasly described, showing a clear determination to learn from this misstep, adding, "We will learn from it and move on."
Before this unfortunate mishap, Gasly's day had been less than stellar; he recorded only the second slowest time, and his performance remained outside the top 10 for most parts. He echoed George Russell's sentiments, highlighting the unforeseen challenge of excessive tyre wear. Gasly remarked:
"The tyres are quite challenging and it’s something we’ll certainly aim to get on top of ready for the rest of the weekend.”
Although Esteban Ocon, Gasly's team-mate, also struggled to secure a position in the top 10, the narrow gap of just half a second between Gasly, in 19th, and Sergio Perez in ninth suggests an intense qualifying session lies ahead.
“At this stage of the race weekend, I would say we have some work to do and I’m sure there’s more to come from us,” Gasly shared with emphasis on the importance of precision.
Despite these hurdles, Gasly remains hopeful. Commenting on the team's efforts, he stated, "We also saw some good improvements from FP1 to FP2, and we put in some competitive lap times in the afternoon session." Given the close competition, he believes that even a minor improvement can significantly elevate their position.
Gasly concluded with a mix of optimism and determination, "We have some work to do overnight and hopefully we can be in a good position tomorrow to have another strong qualifying.”