Esteban Ocon, from the Alpine F1 team, believes that the team had the chance to score points in the Australian Grand Prix if it weren’t for an unscheduled pit stop to remove a brake duct. Ocon had a strong qualifying session, starting in 15th place, which gave him the opportunity to finish in the top 10. However, during the race, he had to make an early pit stop due to an overheating issue caused by the brake duct. This forced him to make an additional pit stop later in the race, preventing him from regaining lost ground. Ocon finished in 16th place, three positions behind his teammate Pierre Gasly. Despite the setback, Ocon was pleased with the team’s progress and the pace they showed during the race.
Alpine had no choice but to make an unexpected pit stop to remove the brake duct, as it represented a significant risk of forcing the car to retire from the race.
According to Ocon, the problems started on the first lap, when a brake duct appeared in his mirror. Shortly after, another brake duct ended up in the brake duct. This posed a serious threat of causing a fire in the rear of the car, making the pit stop the only safe action to take.
There is a level of uncertainty about whether continuing without the pit stop would have led to the race being abandoned. Ocon acknowledges that the team was unlucky to face these challenges, including a radio failure on lap 30 that disrupted communication.
Despite the disappointing result, Ocon emphasizes the progress made by Alpine throughout the weekend. He believes that the race showed the team’s best performance in terms of pace and overall improvement. The car behaved better and the setup was more effective compared to previous races.
Although Alpine remains at the bottom of the Constructors’ Championship, Ocon remains optimistic about the direction the team is heading. The improvements made during this race indicate a positive development and bring hope for the future.
