This weekend in Brazil, Pierre Gasly will reach a personal landmark with his 150th career start in Formula 1. Alongside his Alpine team-mate Esteban Ocon, both French drivers have followed similar paths from karting to the pinnacle of motorsport to achieve their 150th race start with Alpine. Esteban reached his milestone earlier this season in Baku, and as we approach Interlagos, we reflect on Pierre’s journey to match his compatriot’s historic tally.

 

 

Growing up in a racing family, Pierre’s path to motorsport success seemed almost inevitable. With his grandparents and father both involved in racing, Pierre was soon behind the wheel of a go-kart himself.

 

 

Starting life in Rouen — near the road circuit that hosted the French Grand Prix five times in the 1950s and ’60s — Pierre graduated from karts to single-seaters in 2011. Just two years later, he claimed his first major title, winning the Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 with Tech 1 Racing. He secured three victories en route to the championship, triumphing in Moscow, Hungary and at Paul Ricard.

 

 

His success earned him a place in the Red Bull Junior Team, and in 2014, he competed in the Formula Renault 3.5 Series with Arden, finishing runner-up to another future F1 driver, Carlos Sainz. Pierre then moved to GP2 (the predecessor to Formula 2), where clinched the crown in 2016 with Prema Racing, claiming four victories.

 

 

After a brief one-off appearance in FIA Formula E with Renault e.dams in New York, Pierre began balancing Formula 1 testing duties with a part-time campaign in Japan’s Super Formula. However, his season was cut short when he was called up to make his Formula 1 debut with Toro Rosso at the 2017 Malaysian Grand Prix.

 

 

Pierre’s strong performances at the end of that year secured him a full-time seat for the following season, and in 2019, he achieved his first F1 podium, finishing an impressive second at Interlagos. His potential continued to grow, and in 2020, he delivered a stunning victory at the Italian Grand Prix in Monza, driving for AlphaTauri. This win made him the first French driver to triumph in Formula 1 since Olivier Panis at Monaco in 1996.

 

 

Starting tenth on the grid, Pierre benefited from a well-timed pit stop just before a Safety Car intervention. This cycled him to the front of the field, where he held off his former Formula Renault 3.5 rival, Carlos Sainz, to take the chequered flag. Unfortunately, due to Covid-19 restrictions, Pierre was unable to celebrate with a passionate Monza crowd, although he did receive a congratulatory call from French President Emmanuel Macron.

 

 

In 2021, Pierre earned another podium, this time with a superb drive on the streets of Azerbaijan. After five successful years as a Red Bull-contracted driver, he moved to Alpine in 2023, teaming up with fellow Frenchman and long-time acquaintance Esteban Ocon, whom he has known since their karting days.

 

 

In his first season with Alpine, Pierre scored over 60 points, including a memorable podium at Zandvoort in a dramatic wet/dry thriller. Starting 12th on the grid, he overcame tricky conditions and a five-second penalty for speeding in the pit lane to secure third place, thanks to a well-executed strategy and a measured performance behind the wheel.

 

 

Congratulations to Pierre from everyone at Alpine on reaching this milestone of a century and a half race starts in Formula 1. Here’s to many more…