Pierre Gasly’s abrupt stop during the preliminary practice for the Canadian Grand Prix, attributed to a driveshaft failure, indeed resulted from an unusual issue with the power supply to his steering wheel and the subsequent clutch engagement.
The victor of the 2020 Italian Grand Prix also encountered a hydraulics leak in Azerbaijan FP1, which led to an engine fire. Meanwhile, his teammate, Esteban Ocon, had to sit out most of the same session due to a gearbox problem.
Alan Permane, Alpine’s sporting director, emphasizes that these hiccups must be dealt with, but assures that the team is maintaining its composure and has faith in its crew to eliminate these issues.
Permane explained: “We need to review and scrutinize the lifecycle of each component. Determine if it has been mishandled or overworked in any manner. The objective is to comprehend the reason for the failure.
“Admittedly, we have faced several reliability problems that we need to overcome. However, there’s no singular issue that is inducing panic. We’ve experienced minor setbacks, but I am confident that we will rectify them.”
Discussing Gasly’s stoppage in Montreal, Permane described it as an entirely random incident involving a car part that has proven to be indestructible since 2008.
“We must take accountability for it. The issue with Pierre’s steering wheel is entirely random,” he said. “I discussed the matter with the electronic team. This is a part we purchase, which I believe is standard across all steering wheels in the pit lane. Its design hasn’t altered since 2008 and it’s been extremely reliable.
“We experienced a power supply failure which led to the loss of the clutch. Consequently, Pierre believed he had lost the driveshaft. In reality, the clutch was engaged. These situations are complicated.”
Future Aggressive Developments Include New Floor For Alpine
Photo by: Glenn Dunbar / F1 Flow Images
Permane also mentioned the imminent installation of a new floor as Alpine aims to sustain its 2022 trend of unveiling improvements that align perfectly with wind tunnel simulations and provide instant performance enhancement.
He believes that the assertive development path will result in Alpine being named in the FIA car presentation submissions document for enhancements at every forthcoming race.
“Some enhancements are on the way. Each race will feature something new. I am aware of what we’re bringing to Spielberg [next race, Austria],” Permane said.
“We have a new floor in the pipeline. It’s being processed. I’m unsure whether it’s moved past the aero phase and into design or if more downforce is still being added. However, a new floor will be introduced at some point.
“We’re striving for continuous progress, and I am confident that each race will add something to that [FIA] document.”
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Alpine F1 reliability
What problems did Pierre Gasly face during the preliminary practice for the Canadian Grand Prix?
Gasly faced an unusual issue with his steering wheel losing its power supply, causing his clutch to engage and leading him to believe that it was a driveshaft failure.
Who is addressing the reliability issues faced by the Alpine F1 team?
Alpine’s sporting director, Alan Permane, is addressing these issues. He has emphasized that while these problems need to be dealt with, the team is not panicking and has faith in its crew to eliminate these issues.
What was the cause of Gasly’s stoppage in Montreal?
The stoppage was caused by an entirely random incident involving a power supply failure to his steering wheel, which led to a loss of the clutch.
What future developments does the Alpine F1 team plan?
The Alpine F1 team plans to continue aggressive developments, which include the introduction of a new floor. This is part of their aim to sustain a trend of unveiling improvements that align with wind tunnel simulations and provide instant performance enhancements.
What does Alpine’s aggressive development curve mean for its FIA car presentation submissions?
The aggressive development curve means that Alpine is likely to be named in the FIA car presentation submissions document for enhancements at every forthcoming race.
5 comments
New floor sounds exciting, can’t wait to see it in action. And Permane’s words are reassuring. hoping for more good things from Alpine.
wow Alpine ain’t messing around huh, got to admire the no panic approach. lookin forward to what they bring to the track. go Gasly!
just hoping these reliability issues don’t hinder Alpine too much in the races to come. Keep pushing guys!
isn’t it interesting how random issues just pop up like that? I mean a power supply failure causing the clutch to engage? who woulda thunk. #F1Life
alpine’s on the move! love the aggressive development plan. But really, reliability should be the first focus, no?