After the opening three races in Australia, China, and Japan, Formula 1 finally saw Max Verstappen secure his first win of the season. With McLaren emerging as the main threat to Red Bull Racing, the upcoming Bahrain Grand Prix will reveal what both teams have in store for the remainder of the season.

Meanwhile, other teams are strategizing to avoid falling further behind Red Bull and McLaren. As two of the fastest cars on the grid, Ferrari and Mercedes are eager to challenge for podium finishes in the upcoming races.

One team facing early-season struggles is Alpine F1. With former Verstappen teammate Pierre Gasly and rookie Jack Doohan, Alpine is aiming to score its first points of the year after coming close in the recent Japanese Grand Prix.

In light of this, Gasly sent a clear message to his fellow drivers about the team’s determination to secure those first points. “I think it’s going to be good to reset after the first three weekends on a track we know,” Gasly said. “The good thing is that we get to race again next week, so we’ll try to get those points next weekend.”

Pierre Gasly of France and Alpine F1 walks in the Paddock prior to the F1 Grand Prix of Japan at Suzuka Circuit on April 06, 2025 in Suzuka, Japan.

Gasly’s thoughts on the car

After the Japanese Grand Prix, Gasly spoke with the media about the challenges the team faced in securing their first points. He and teammate Doohan both made attempts to break into the points, but several issues with the car hindered their efforts.

“We had a small issue at the pit stop, which I’m not sure about yet, but we’ll review it. Ultimately, we just lacked a bit of pace to be in the top 10. It wasn’t a huge gap, but it did feel like we were a bit off the pace, Gasly said.

On the other hand, Doohan expressed his excitement about the upcoming race in Bahrain, where he’s eager to help the team secure its first points of the season. “I can’t wait for it. We just need to keep working together as a team, keep pushing, and get those points. That’s what’s important,” Doohan remarked.

Next stop for Verstappen: Bahrain

With his first victory of the season already in the books, Verstappen and his team are eager to race in Bahrain this weekend. For the Dutch driver, it will be a special moment as he has won the Bahrain Grand Prix twice before and could tie Fernando Alonso in the podium of the most wins at the circuit.

However, Verstappen will have to wait for another opportunity to become the all-time winner at this race, as Lewis Hamilton has claimed victory five times. Sebastian Vettel is second on the list, with four wins.

SURVEY Can Gasly get the first points for Alpine this weekend?

Can Gasly get the first points for Alpine this weekend?

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