Alpine eager to forget Silverstone disaster in Budapest

Following a vey difficult weekend at Silverstone, Alpine driver Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon are eager to bounce back at this weekend’s Hungarian Grand Prix.

Alpine endured a miserable weekend last time out at Silverstone. Pierre Gasly was consigned to the back of the grid after power unit changes, and his woes just intensified after he failed to take the start after gearbox gremlins hit on the formation lap.

His team-mate Esteban Ocon finished the Silverstone round, but he lacked pace and strategy errors meant that he only took the chequered flag in P17.

Alpine team boss Bruno Famin hopes that the Enstone-based outfit can turn its fortunes around and end the first part of the season on a high.

"This is a very intense period on the Formula 1 calendar as we head to Budapest and then Spa for the double header before the summer break.

“It’s two very different circuits; Budapest being filled with fast and flowing corners where we run high downforce, while Spa features high speed turns and long straights where finding a compromise on aero efficiency is a key performance differentiator.

“Budapest is set to be an incredibly hot weekend with high temperatures to contend with. We aim for a strong weekend performance across the board and return to the points," concluded Famin.

Esteban Ocon, who scored his only F1 victory in Hungary in 2021, is looking forward to this weekend, claiming that the Hungaroring is one of his favourite tracks.

The Hungarian Grand Prix will always be a special race for me as it’s where I had my first win, which was also the team’s first win as Alpine.

“It is one of my favourite circuits on the calendar and one I always love to race. It is a great track to drive with high downforce and lots of consecutive, flowing corners. Overtaking can be tricky with the only real opportunities in the first sector, so it puts more emphasis on maximising Qualifying performance.

“The weather is forecast to be hot, so strategy will also come into play to help with tyre management. I am looking forward to the atmosphere in Budapest, the city truly embraces Formula 1 when we come to visit, and the fans always bring the best energy."

“The Hungaroring is a full-on track but it’s one of the most enjoyable to drive on the calendar. The circuit is like go-karting because its corner after corner and you don’t have too much time to rest on the straights.

“It’s busy for the whole lap and you need to find a rhythm, so that’s the challenge, which I love. It looks like conditions will be extremely hot too so the full race distance will be a really tough one for all the drivers from a physical point of view.

“After a hard Silverstone, we want to return to Q3 and strive for points this weekend and put ourselves in a better position before the summer break," noted Gasly.