Since the beginning of the season, Alpine has been at the center of attention for the fact that its car was above the minimum weight imposed by the Federation, thanks to the many interventions made to the chassis in winter. Unable to quickly pass the FIA’s resistance and safety tests with a lightened body, the French team was forced to strengthen the chassis, but at the cost of adding more weight, thus exceeding the minimum limit.
During the Canadian weekend in Montreal, Gasly and Ocon both finished in the points, giving some positive ideas, although clearly facilitated by errors or retirements of cars that were on paper faster. Qualifying suggested a certainly more difficult race, especially for Esteban Ocon, who had only achieved an 18th place and was eliminated in Q1, unlike his teammate.
In addition to having to deal with traffic, Ocon explained that part of his deficit compared to Gasly was due to the fact that he used a heavier chassis than that of his compatriot from Miami.
Esteban Ocon, Alpine A524
Photo by: Glenn Dunbar / Motorsport Images
“For a couple of Grands Prix my car has been much heavier than Pierre’s. Over the course of the year we will alternate equally, this is very clear, but since Miami it has been like this. When all these things add up, it becomes difficult pass Q1”.
While Alpine has continued to work behind the scenes to lower the weight of the car, it has emerged that the difference between the two cars is around 3 kg, a value which generally corresponds to around a tenth of a disadvantage.
“Ocon was lighter at the beginning of the year and then obviously we swapped parts, so I’m a kilo or something lighter. It’s still very close,” Gasly said.
Pierre Gasly, Alpine F1 Team
Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
It was announced earlier this month that Ocon will leave the team at the end of the season, but clearly it is also in Alpine’s own interests to maintain a professional relationship for the final 15 Grands Prix, given the battle with Haas, Williams and Sauber in the championship builders.
“I believe that Esteban can count on the help of the whole team to get the best result, because the fact that Esteban has the best result helps the team to have the best possible result,” Famin told Motorsport.com.
“We are counting on Esteban to give everything he can bring to the team, we will absolutely not put him aside. He will have exactly the same conditions as Pierre. They are at the same level. We know that they are very close in terms of performance and it would not be appropriate to do something different for no one. Even in this case, it is the interest of the team: to do the best possible for Alpine.”
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