After qualifying in 19th place and with teammate Pierre Gasly finishing last, Ocon expressed to the press: “We find ourselves in this situation, I find myself in this situation, no one likes to be at the back. We are all competitors within this team, and it is crucial for us to stay united, maintain a positive attitude, and move forward.”
“This team, a few years ago, designed a winning vehicle, and these concepts were conceived in the same places where they are today, in Viry and Enstone,” he added, referring to the factories in France and England. “We have the potential to replicate those achievements, and I have faith in the team’s ability to take a step forward.”
Alpine finished last season in sixth place overall, a drop from the fourth place achieved in 2022. However, they faced the departure of Fernando Alonso to Aston Martin and Oscar Piastri to McLaren at the end of 2023.
Subsequently, they also parted ways with their principal, Otmar Szafnauer, in July, along with long-time sporting director Alan Permane and technical director Pat Fry, who joined Red Bull and Williams, respectively. The loss of these key figures had a greater impact on the Alpine team compared to the previous season. Without a true Team Principal, the French team is now crumbling.
Ocon clarified later on: “Arguably, the reality is that we lack speed, especially in short bursts. In the race, we will see our true position during the long laps. We had indications during testing that this would be the case.”
“We were uncertain, but today’s reality confirms it. We are at the back, without pace. We must continue to work together to make a difference in the future.”
Ocon found hope in the progress made by Aston Martin and McLaren in the last season: “Just because we find ourselves in this situation now doesn’t mean it will be the same story in five or six races. We will continue to work diligently. Hopefully, we will have a smooth race and gather more ideas for the next race as we move towards Jeddah.”
His teammate at Alpine, Gasly, agreed: “We are aware of our current position, and the team is pushing to the maximum, working tirelessly to bring constant improvements to the car. The most important thing is that we are together as a team.” (Reported by Alan Baldwin)
