F1 | Alpine: Diversified strategy brought the first point

The start of the season has given little satisfaction to Alpine, thanks to a car created with clear limits in terms of performance. However, the French team immediately attempted to take action with an update program that saw it not only remove several kilos in the space of a few months, but also add aerodynamic load where it needed it most.

It is no mystery that the A524 suffered from a lack of downforce, particularly at the rear, affecting the grip generated in fast corners, as well as the response during traction. However, the latest innovations brought to the last Grands Prix have helped to reduce the weight by adding load and, finally, the first point in the standings arrived on the weekend in Miami thanks to tenth place for Esteban Ocon.

Undoubtedly a bit of luck never hurts, but Alpine also worked on strategy, opting for a different tactic between the two riders depending on how the race evolved. Pierre Gasly and Ocon in fact started in twelfth and thirteenth position, not far from the top ten, but the two were immediately involved in a heated duel during the first lap.

In fact, despite a good sprint when the traffic lights went out, with which he seemed to have overtaken his teammate, Ocon saw Gasly comeback in the second sector, with a counter-overtaking which then took place on the long straight of the last split time. However, that challenge also dictated the internal strategies, with Gasly who, being in front, also had priority on a tactical level.

“I had a lot of duels, even with my teammate and I managed to come out in front at the end of the first lap, even though we were very, very close. We started the race with two plans: follow the optimal strategy with the car in front and, with the car behind, go long and try to take advantage of a Safety Car in case there was one”, said Pierre Gasly, who before the pit stop he was in twelfth position, ahead of Fernando Alonso. However, right at the moment of the stop he was able to complete an overcut on the person in front of him, the other Aston of Lance Stroll, virtually recovering a position.

However, the entry of the Virtual Safety Car changed the scenarios, allowing both Ocon and Alonso to rejoin, saving several seconds, thus overtaking Gasly. A fortunate situation, but one which subsequently put Ocon in the position to actually fight for the top ten when the Safety Car came out due to the accident between Kevin Magnussen and Logan Sargeant.

Esteban Ocon, Alpine A524

Photo by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Images

The Frenchman, who at that point was on a hard tire with which to go to the checkered flag, thus found himself in tenth position, behind the two Mercedes but ahead of Fernando Alonso, who on the contrary was on the medium, a more performing. Although Ocon was not able to defend himself for long from the Aston Martin Spaniard, on the other hand, George Russell’s clear decline with Mercedes, as well as the accident involving Oscar Piastri, allowed the Enstone team to stay in the points. In particular, the duel with Alonso was intense and exciting, with the two exchanging compliments at the end of the race.

“In the race I had to fight to make my way. It was crazy how many maneuvers I had to do, even though we still lack straight-line speed. But we still got some results,” added Ocon, continuing to point out the A524’s lack of top speed. Just as in last season, due to shortcomings on the engine side, Alpine was often forced to fit weaker wings than its rivals.

In fact, taking advantage of the Parc Fermé between the sprint events and the “traditional” ones on the Saturday window, the transalpine team modified the rear configuration, opting for a more unloaded wing that would allow for improved top speeds on the straight. For example, paying attention to the data from the two qualifications, it emerges that with the more unloaded wing of the two tested (visible in the comparison below), the top speed increased by approximately 4 km/h. In a race where track position proved to be fundamental, this element also helped.

Pierre Gasly, Alpine A524, Logan Sargeant, Williams FW46

Photo by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Images

Esteban Ocon, Alpine A524 and Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin AMR24

Photo by: Alexander Trienitz

Despite the tenth place finish, which finally allowed us to conquer the first top of the year, Ocon however underlined that the time to jump for joy has not yet come, because the journey to move up the rankings is still long: “We don’t want jumping for joy and celebrating too much for now. Obviously it’s just a top 10. But considering where we were a couple of races ago in Bahrain, 19th and 20th, I think we can take something positive from this race and the small steps we’re making. It wasn’t the quietest weekend, but there were two races in which we came close to the points, 11th in Shanghai, 10th today. We’re in the top ten, it’s definitely a good feeling.”

The progress came in conjunction with the updates brought to these latest Grands Prix, including both the different packages that made it possible to reduce the weight, but also to increase the load generated, particularly from the bottom. On the one hand, the Miami stage is significant, because the US track is among the most demanding in terms of rear management, an aspect that Alpine suffered during the first races of the season. Clearly, certain race situations and the fact that in Miami the degradation is in fact very limited have helped, but the reduction in weight, as well as in the load on the rear, have their effect, because they allow less energy to be imposed and, consequently , tire stress.

However, further steps are still needed to take a step forward. Ocon believes the A524 is more consistent in qualifying than in the race, with the strong suspicion that, for example, without a second stop under the Safety Car, Nico Hulkenberg in the Haas could have threatened the top ten. “I think we are even better in qualifying than in the race. I believe that today, if there had been 10 more laps, Hulkenberg would probably have come back and fought with us again.”