Pierre Gasly Leads ‘Run for Anthoine’ at Belgian GP as Alpine Eyes Midfield Fight

Pierre Gasly will lead the fifth annual “Run for Anthoine” at Spa-Francorchamps on Thursday, a night of remembrance for Anthoine Hubert and Dilano van ’t Hoff, both lost at the circuit in 2019 and 2023.

What’s happening at Spa this weekend?

The 2026 Belgian Grand Prix marks Round 10 of the Formula 1 season. Gasly’s BWT Alpine squad rolls into the Ardennes with a midfield scrap for fifth in the Constructors’ Championship still wide open. Just two weekends remain before F1’s summer shutdown, so every point counts.

Why the ‘Run for Anthoine’ matters to Gasly

The Thursday event is now a tradition for Gasly. He calls it a chance to “reflect fondly on all the memories” with friends and rivals who raced alongside Hubert in the Renault Sport Academy. This year’s edition is the fifth since Hubert’s fatal F2 crash at Spa in August 2019.

Gasly has described Spa as one of the most special stops on the calendar. The track’s blend of La Source hairpin, Eau Rouge-Raidillon and Blanchimont tests every skill a driver owns.

How Spa’s layout could shape Alpine’s midfield fight

Spa’s long full-throttle runs demand sharp energy deployment from the current power units. Teams expect varied strategies as engineers chase the balance between outright speed and battery life. Gasly reckons flexibility will decide the race.

“You probably have to go there with a very open mind,” Gasly said. “Try to arrive with a few ideas up your sleeve to maximize lap time.”

Alpine newcomer Franco Colapinto arrives fresh off a ninth-place charge at Silverstone. He sees Spa’s high-speed corners as overtaking gold.

“The layout rewards commitment,” Colapinto said. “There are a lot of overtaking areas too.”

Where Alpine still needs to close the gap

Steve Nielsen, Alpine’s executive adviser, admitted the team trails some rivals in outright pace. Recent points finishes help, but consistency isn’t enough to win a dogfight for fifth.

“We are just that step behind some of our rivals,” Nielsen said. “And that is exactly where our fight is: to add more performance to the car.”

Upgrades are in development at Enstone, but Nielsen stressed the need for real gains when they hit the track.

Gasly heads to Spa knowing the circuit’s ghosts and its energy puzzle will test him both on and off the track.