Gasly’s Vegas Gamble: A Mix of Pole Position Jokes and Rain-Soaked Hopes
Fresh off a much-needed points finish at Interlagos, a relieved Pierre Gasly has arrived in Nevada with a renewed sense of optimism and a healthy dose of humor. The Alpine driver, having endured a challenging 2025 season, is looking to capitalize on any opportunity this weekend—even if it means wishing for a bit of chaos on the iconic Las Vegas Strip circuit.
In a lighthearted media session, Gasly jokingly declared his ambition to aim for pole position, while admitting his best strategy might involve hoping for rain to level the playing field and give his rivals a chance to « mess it up. »
The Rain Dance: A Strategic Gamble
With forecasts hinting at potential rain for the early parts of the Las Vegas race weekend, Gasly smells an opportunity. In a candid and somewhat cheeky interview, the Frenchman expressed his desire for wet conditions to disrupt the hierarchy.
« I think raining, » Gasly quipped when asked about his ideal scenario. « It gives more chance for the others to actually f**k up. »
Realizing his choice of words, he quickly clarified with a laugh: « Yeah, mess it up. Sorry for my English. »
While delivered with humor, the sentiment reveals a pragmatic strategic mindset. Gasly acknowledges that the top-tier cars are likely « out of reach » for the Alpine A525 in normal dry conditions. The unpredictability of a wet street circuit could be the great equalizer he needs to challenge for a top spot.
However, not everyone shares his enthusiasm.
- Lando Norris: The championship contender described the prospect of a wet Vegas race as « incredibly difficult » and « pretty nasty. »
- Fernando Alonso: The veteran was even blunter, stating it would be « not fun at all » due to visibility issues and the low-grip surface.
A History of Vegas Highs and Lows
Gasly’s confidence in Las Vegas isn’t just wishful thinking; he has a statistically strong record on the Strip. The French driver has proven to be a specialist over one lap at this venue:
- 2023: Qualified an impressive P4.
- 2024: Stunned the paddock by qualifying P3, behind only George Russell and Carlos Sainz.
This history of one-lap pace gives him a reason to be optimistic, leading to his joke about not wanting to « ruin these stats too much » this year.
However, converting Saturday (or Friday) speed into Sunday results has been the hurdle. In 2023, he slipped to P11 in the race, and in 2024, a heartbreaking power unit failure forced him to retire after just 15 laps, ending what looked like a podium challenge.
Momentum from Brazil
The timing of the Las Vegas GP couldn’t be better for Gasly, who is still riding a wave of momentum from the previous round in São Paulo. At Interlagos, he managed to score points, a result that broke a frustrating scoring drought for the Alpine team.
The performance in Brazil was a significant confidence boost. It signaled that the team’s late-season upgrades, first introduced in Austin, are finally beginning to pay off. With the car showing better pace and the driver feeling sharp, Gasly is keen to prove that Alpine can end the 2025 season on a high note—provided the Vegas weather gods are listening.
Sources
- PlanetF1 – « Pierre Gasly’s hope as rivals wary of a wet Las Vegas GP » (Nov 21, 2025)
- GPBlog – « Vegas encourages Pierre Gasly as he targets enviable qualifying record » (Nov 21, 2025)
- Formula 1 – « Gasly explains why he was ‘on another level’ in Brazil » (Nov 11, 2025)
- Formula 1 – « Pierre Gasly overjoyed by ‘unbelievable’ qualifying performance in Las Vegas » (Archive: Nov 23, 2024)
- Formula 1 – « Las Vegas Grand Prix Race Results » (Archive: 2024)