Chaos Alpine, here are the radio teams of the discord between Gasly and Ocon | FP

Internal tensions

The most controversial case of the Japanese GP occurred within the Alpine box. The French team managed to place its two cars in the points, with Esteban Ocon crossing the finish line in ninth place, immediately ahead of his teammate Pierre Gasly. After the race, however, they are controversy exploded: Gasly in fact criticized the team for having him forced to give up the position to Ocon at the endafter that his compatriot had given way to him a few laps earlier to allow him to go after Fernando Alonso’s Aston Martin.

The failure of the former AlphaTauri standard-bearer to overtake the Spaniard’s car resulted in the order to restore the original positions. Ocon for his part replied to Gasly underlining how this has always been the internal policy of the team, even in the times of Ricciardo and Alonso himself. Now Formula 1 has made the radio communications took place between the pilots and their respective track engineers in those excited moments.

The thing that emerges is above all Gasly’s surprise and anger the moment he is told he has to make a new exchange. In fact, this indication had not been given to him at first and evidently #10 believed he could consider his new position acquired. Finally the second ‘swap’ takes place a few meters before the finish line. Gasly’s track engineer at that point invites his driver not to react ‘hotly’ via radio but to wait for the internal team debriefing.

Radio communications

Lap 46
Engineer Gasly: “Ok, Esteban will let you through”

Or with: “You can confirm it for me [di far passare Gasly]?”
Eng. Ocon: “As soon as possible let him pass, please, now.”

Lap 47
Gasley: “Thank you, well done.”

Lap 52
Engineer Gasly: “Ok, this is the gap: Esteban is 2.4 behind. Instructions from the pit wall: can we swap positions again, please?”.
Gasley: “Wait, what the fuck? Are you kidding me or what? What are you saying?! I was faster! I had fresher tires, if he hadn’t let me pass I would have passed him anyway.”
Engineer Gasly: “Yes, let’s discuss it later please. He switches positions again, please”.

Lap 53
Gasley: “Can you confirm that you want to make the exchange?”.
Engineer Gasly: “Affirmative. Affirmative, please.”
Gasley: “Yes please”.

Eng. Ocon: “This is the last lap, they were told to give you the position back.”
Or with: “Yes, it would be nice to tell him again, because I don’t think he hears you.”
Eng. Ocon: “He was told.”

Engineer Gasly: “Please Pierre”.
Gasley: “Yes, I’m doing it.”
Engineer Gasly: “Received, thank you. There’s no need to say anything now, we’ll talk about it later.”

Checkered flag
Or with: “Thank you for what you did in the end. Nice team work.”