Gasly says "there's not much in it" after narrowly missing out on Q3 in Austria

Gasly missed out on Q3 for only the fourth time so far in 2026 | Credit: Formula One

Alpine's Pierre Gasly narrowly missed out on another Q3 appearance ahead of the 2026 Austrian Grand Prix after a gap of 0.040s seperated him and Max Verstappen at the end of Q2. The French driver will start 11th and will share the sixth row of the grid with Audi's Gabriel Bortoleto.

The one-time Grand Prix winner noted that from inside the car, he "felt on the limit everywhere" but unfortunately it was not enough to make the difference between Q2 and being in the top 10 on this occasion. Gasly, who has enjoyed impeccable form so far this season and in this new regulatory era, has been Alpine's consistent points-scorer and out-qualified his teammate Franco Colapinto yet again this season.

However, despite his advantage over his teammate, Gasly noted that the gap between themselves and Racing Bulls is something his team have been keeping an eye on. The sister-team to Red Bull, Racing Bulls have emerged as a real contender for the coveted midfield title of 'best of the rest'. Discussing their battle so far this season, Gasly noted that "there's not much in it" and that in Austria so far, being behind the other team is "kind of where we are" in terms of performance.

Gasly on-track at the Red Bull Ring | Credit: Formula One

Speaking on the radio immediately after the end of Q2, Gasly sounded hopeful about his chances for progression which he confimed by stating "we threw everything at it in Q2" however it was not meant to be on this occassion. While Alpine struggled, qualifying 11th and 16th, Racing Bulls had both of their drivers in the top 10.

Despite the less than ideal starting positions, the French driver said that he's "still confident for tomorrow" especially considering that "on Sunday, we seem to do slightly better". With the warm conditions confirmed for Sunday's Grand Prix, Alpine's tyre degradation advantage will play into their hands and possibly give them alternative options for strategies.

Looking ahead to Sunday's Grand Prix, Gasly confirmed that "we [Alpine] made a step in the right direction" and there should be no doubt that both he and Colapinto will "go for the points" to retain their position at the top of the midfield. With the French driver "still confident for tomorrow", it will be all to play for when the five lights go out.