Alpine team boss hail Ocon and Gasly for "faultless drive"
On the back of Alpine's best result of the season, team boss Oliver Oakes hailed his two drivers, Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly for having been faultless in the challenging conditions of the Sao Paulo Grand Prix.
Reflecting on Alpine's best result of the season, team boss Oliver Oakes reckoned that the Enstone-based outfit's two drivers Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly have been faultless during the tough 69-lap race.
The Briton noted: “What a way to end the triple-header with a double podium for the team. Even more so after the early alarm call this morning after the rain delay yesterday! Both drivers were faultless today in difficult conditions, not putting a wheel wrong all day.
"On top of the points in the Sprint race yesterday, it’s been a great weekend for the whole team in all conditions and a real credit to everyone across Enstone and Viry for their hard work these past two months to bring performance to the track. This gives us some momentum that we must use to finish the season strongly.”
Esteban Ocon qualified strongly in the postponed qualifying, taking fourth on the grid for the Sao Paulo Grand Prix. The Frenchman was running strongly in P4 behind the leading duo of George Russell and Lando Norris and third-placed Yuki Tsunoda.
Ocon opted not to pit under the VSC, which first appeared to be the wrong decision. However, with Franco Colapinto's heavy crash bringing out a red-flag period, the one-time Grand Prix winner suddenly found himself in the lead. Although Max Verstappen picked off Ocon quickly when the race was restarted, Ocon delivered a faultless drive to the flag to secure his best result of the year.
He noted: “I'm very happy this afternoon and I really do not know if I'm in a dream or if it's a reality! I’m so proud of the entire team. We scored an amazing number of points in one race weekend.
"Clearly after yesterday such a performance seemed impossible but when the conditions are difficult, we have seen that we can fight. We had a very good qualifying session earlier this morning, which set us up well for the race.
"When I was at the front of the race, I believed in it for a little while but Max [Verstappen] was faster than us on the last stint so we can have no regrets in the end result because that was definitely the most we could achieve. It proves again that we can do it and we just have to keep working hard for the final three races. I'm also super happy to share this podium with Pierre.
"I thought about it on the last lap of the race that it was going to be incredible to share a podium together, like in the good old days when we started karting in similar conditions. This podium will remain in my memory forever and I’m just so pleased for the entire team.”
Pierre Gasly endured a tough qualifying, failling to make it out of Q2. However, he managed to climb his way up the order by not pitting under the virtual safety car. The Frenchman found himself in third place after the restart, and although George Russell was eager to pick him off, he could hang on to the lowest step of the rostrum.
The Frenchman noted: “What an incredible day for the entire team. None of us could have imagined a double podium but we did it and I could not be prouder of everyone. We have had such a year.
"We have struggled at times, been at the back, and it’s been tough for everyone involved. No one has given up, though, and everyone has stayed focused and motivated and now we have two trophies in second and third place in São Paulo, which is just amazing. We knew anything would be possible on a day like this with the mixed conditions.
"It was about being ready for anything and executing everything to the maximum. I’m very pleased for Esteban too, he did a great race today. We have our story. It’s a unique and beautiful story. Growing up together in the same area and karted since we were kids. Not only did we both get to Formula 1, but amazingly, became team-mates and now we share a podium together at the same team.
"Just unbelievable and I’m happy for the both of us. It’s been a busy triple-header where we’ve certainly made improvements. We have to keep going and stay hungry for the final three races as the Championship battle remains so close," concluded Gasly.
