Alpine’s racing dynamics faced another hurdle at the Austrian Grand Prix, sparking debates about team strategy.
- Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon were at it again, fighting for positions during the race, which kept fans on the edge of their seats.
- Gasly attempted to overtake Ocon at a critical turn, evoking reactions from former team member Fernando Alonso.
- Despite fierce competition, Gasly secured tenth position, whereas Ocon settled for twelfth, raising questions on team orders.
- While Gasly found Alpine’s rules clear, Ocon revealed the struggle with team communication and car issues.
In an audacious display of grit, Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon once more locked horns at the Austrian Grand Prix. Racing neck and neck, they jockeyed for the 11th and 12th slots, temporarily surpassing Fernando Alonso. The tension reached a fever pitch when Gasly, maneuvering for an outside pass on Turn Three, was edged out by Ocon. Gasly, puzzled by the aggressive move, questioned his team’s strategy over the radio, capturing the attention of onlookers, including Alonso, who simply exclaimed: ‘Wow!’
Gasly didn’t back down. Regrouping quickly, he approached Turn Four, this time selecting an outside line that granted him the advantageous inside track for the following curve. With a swift ‘Ciao!’ over the radio, he executed the pass and secured 11th place—a pivotal moment that propelled him to finish 10th overall, thus earning a crucial point.
The incident has reignited discussion about Alpine’s team orders. Although Gasly affirmed that the race plan was as transparent as possible, he acknowledged, ‘I can only control what happens in my car’. The friction between these two is palpable, but Gasly seemed determined to keep his focus singular and clear. Meanwhile, Ocon described their clash as ‘hard and fair racing’, maintaining he received no special guidance from the team during their wheel-to-wheel duel.
Ocon’s challenges extended beyond the driver seat. During the jostle with Gasly, he compromised a piece of the car by grazing the kerbs. The issue went unnoticed by engineers, prompting a need for inspection. ‘If we have a piece of carbon flying and we don’t see it on the performance load, it’s quite worrying,’ Ocon commented, highlighting the team’s need to delve deeper into the issue.
With their ongoing battle, Alpine holds a relatively low position, eighth, in the Constructors’ Championship. Gasly and Ocon’s rivalry, though thrilling for audiences, suggests that internal harmony may be crucial for the team’s future successes.
Alpine’s internal challenges continue to make headlines, as Gasly and Ocon’s rivalry remains a spectacle in the racing world.
