AUGUST 25, 2026

Gasly says Racing Bulls used Lindblad to obstruct Alpine

Pierre Gasly believes Racing Bulls deliberately used Arvid Lindblad to delay him during their close constructors' championship fight.

The fight for fifth place in the constructors' championship does not attract the attention given to a title contest. It is nonetheless worth a substantial amount of money, which tends to sharpen everyone's competitive instincts.

Racing Bulls left Zandvoort on 66 points, three ahead of Alpine. Pierre Gasly also left convinced that the rival team had deliberately compromised his race.

The central figure was Arvid Lindblad. His chance of scoring had effectively disappeared after a drive-through penalty, but he remained on track ahead of Gasly following the Alpine driver's first stop.

Lindblad had little reason to make life easy for the driver representing Racing Bulls' closest championship rival. Gasly struggled to pass and lost positions to Nico Hulkenberg and Yuki Tsunoda. Lindblad allowed his own teammate through before continuing to defend against the Alpine.

Gasly believed the episode cost him ninth place. He accused Racing Bulls of having played a team game for the championship and added that he has a good memory.

Lindblad did not deny the tactical role. With his own result already compromised, he acknowledged that he had played the team game and tried to help Racing Bulls where he could.

There is nothing especially mysterious about this. Formula 1 is a team competition, and a driver with little left to gain can still inconvenience a direct rival without breaking the rules.

Gasly's irritation is equally understandable. Drivers tend to regard strategic obstruction as clever teamwork when their own side is doing it, and discover profound objections when they are trapped behind someone else.

With only three points separating the teams, the next meeting is unlikely to be forgotten by either side.