The French rider reviewed Alpine news with Pierre Gasly
In this early phase of the F1 season, Alpine is having some problems. The A523 confirmed its speed in some qualifying sessions, but on Sundays it has not finished the job, except in Monaco, where Esteban Ocon got on the podium with Verstappen and Fernando Alonso Aston Martin.
And it is precisely the Spanish pilot, Fernando Alonso together with Aston Martin, who has set the benchmark for mid-grid drivers and teams looking to rise to the top. An example in which both Esteban Ocon and Alpine have acknowledged being inspired and also overcome.
Since his arrival at Aston Martin, Fernando Alonso has received a lot of criticism
“An improvement in F1 can only be achieved if many parameters are correct. We are already close to the ‘top 5’ in the standings, but we still have a lot of work to do”, Ocon acknowledged. One of the most relevant changes this year at Alpine has been the arrival of Pierre Gasly as Alonso’s replacement.
Ocon points out that the collaboration between the two is optimal and that having received a new colleague is allowing him to continue learning. “Pierre and I exchange ideas. Every time you have a new partner, you learn a lot. That was the case with Fernando, who is a phenomenon for me, but also now with Pierre“.
The relay of the Spanish pilot has been a complete success for the British team
This year, Fernando Alonso has become the protagonist and already has six podiums in eight races. But Esteban Ocon considers that the Spanish driver is the same as always and that what he has changed is the car he has in hand. And this is how Ocon has recognized his followers.
“Fernando Alonso is not better than last seasonHe is just as strong as before, but he has a better car this year. And that also gives us motivation to see how quickly a team from the middle zone can become a team at the top”, acknowledges Esteban Ocon from Alpine.