Pierre Gasly (FRA) Alpine F1 Team A523. 26.11.2023. Formula 1 World Championship, Rd 23, Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi, Race Day.
Pierre Gasly held Lewis Hamilton accountable for curtailing his hopes of a points finish in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix when the Mercedes driver made contact with the Alpine.
The Frenchman was running inside the points ahead of Hamilton on Lap 16 when he locked up into Turn 6, resulting in the Briton tagging the rear of Gasly’s car at the chicane.
While Hamilton informed his team that he suspected he had lost some front-end performance, the seven-time champion rallied to secure ninth position by the end.
Meanwhile, Gasly contends that the touch hampered his race prospects more as he slumped to a 13th-place finish after “losing a lot of points of downforce” on his A523.
“It wasn’t my day,” Gasly rued. “I think most of the damage was done when Lewis just came at the back of my car and just destroyed the whole diffuser at the back of it.”
The stewards noted the clash but elected to not take action, but Gasly believes Hamilton was responsible for the coming together as he would have missed his braking point.
“I braked late. I was surprised that he went even, I think he would have gone straight if I wasn’t there,” Gasly expanded.
“I started to have a bit of front graining, I locked up a bit but still made the corner. And I think he just missed the braking point and then basically ran at the back of my car.
“It was quite an impact. It was enough to just break and lose some part of the diffuser. So not great.”
Pierre Gasly (FRA) Alpine F1 Team A523. 26.11.2023. Formula 1 World Championship, Rd 23, Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi, Race Day.
Asked about the decision not to penalise Hamilton, Gasly said: “I mean it’s harsh, because on one side it makes me lose 15, 20 seconds of race time. Nothing of my control.
“So on one side, it’s harsh. On another side, [he] made a mistake and came in the back of my car. So it’s a tough one to say, but for sure it clearly cost me quite a lot today.”
Gasly was also unimpressed by the strategy call that saw Esteban Ocon undercut him from behind when Alpine elected to pit his team-mate two laps before on Lap 15.
Despite Alpine struggling for pace at the Yas Marina Circuit, the one-time grand prix winner predicts that he could have fought for a single point without that and the damage.
“Obviously I wasn’t happy with the strategy call,” Gasly declared. “This will be reviewed and we made a mistake and I’m sure we’ll learn from it.
“But then with all the downforce I was losing, I’m talking four-tenths a lap for 40 laps, maybe there was a P10 to fight for with Stroll. But I don’t think there was much more than that today. So, yeah, not the easiest race to finish.”
He added: “It should not happen. Leading car always has the priority and we know it should not happen. I’m sure we’ll learn from it and I’m sure it won’t happen again.
“The main conversation is to happen in the office and I’m sure we’ll have it, but it should not have happened.
Pressed to explain why it would have happened, Gasly replied: “I do not know.”
Keyword: Gasly blames Hamilton for damage that ruined his Abu Dhabi GP