The Enstone machine, representing the A524, has unmistakably established itself as the slowest contender in the 2024 racing field. This trend persisted in Australia, where Pierre Gasly finished in 13th place, while his teammate Esteban Ocon trailed behind in 16th due to a brake issue necessitating an extra pit stop.
Despite the evident limitations of the A524’s speed, Gasly remains resolute in his determination behind the wheel. “Once I’m in the car, I’m like an animal,” he asserts.
“I want to do the best I can with the package that I have in my hands. But even when we do an amazing lap and we are in P14 or do a really good race and you’re P13, it’s not the same really satisfaction as if you do a really good race and finish either on the top step or P5 with the package you have. So as [long] as we learn and we move forward, that’s the most important thing. I know the team is working really hard, and I can see some of the directions they’re taking to improve the package we’ve got, and I know we’ll get better. But it’s just got to take time.”
During the Melbourne race, Gasly managed to advance his position by opting for a late first stop and tailing Nico Hulkenberg in the early stages of the race, though Hulkenberg eventually finished four places ahead.
Reflecting on the race, Gasly remarked, “Start 17th, finish 13th. I think we were running in P8 at some point, and we would have liked the red flag at that moment. But that was a bit what we tried, we try to put ourselves in a decent track position at some point in the race hoping for things to happen, because that’s what we need, really. So apart from that, I don’t think we can do any better at the moment. It’s going be the same speech as the last weekend [in Jeddah], but we’ve got to be patient until we get upgrades because we’re just too far away from a points finish at the moment.”
When asked if he found any enjoyment in racing alongside Hulkenberg, Gasly expressed a sense of contrast with the previous year’s performance. “Last year at the same time of the year I was racing with Carlos [Sainz] for P4.
This year, he is winning the race, and I’m in 13th. So not really having much fun, but I know and we know the position we are in. And I know we’re not going to stay there, and I trust the team to find the solutions to improve the performance. But we need more performance to be able to fight back in the points.”
