Alpine respond to furious Ocon: 'Esteban held everyone up'
F1 News
- Corwin Kunst
A furious Esteban Ocon after the end of the Canadian Grand Prix. The Frenchman - driving on P9 at the time - had to pass his teammate and that position was not given back at the finish either. It caused Ocon to be livid, but his team principal, Bruno Famin, defended Alpine's decision.
Ocon was told over the radio with about two laps to go that he should let Pierre Gasly pass. "I've always respected the instructions that have been given. It's always been the case and I've never done anything different in my career. But I've done my part of the job, but not the team today," the Frenchman said after the Canadian GP.
So an angry Ocon, but Alpine says it had good reasons for the team orders. According to Bruno Famin, there are also no two opposing camps, despite it already being known that the 27-year-old driver will leave at the end of the season and seek refuge elsewhere.
"There is no real friction," states Bruno Famin, quoted by Motorsport.com. "They are drivers and when we ask them, whoever, to give up their position to their teammate, it is generally not easy."
Alpine explain choice
According to the team principal, Alpine's motives were clear: a little train was forming behind Ocon and Gasly's 10th place was in danger. Indeed, the two Haas F1 drivers were lurking to catch up.
"We did it in the interest of the team. Esteban was suffering a bit from the power management, he was consuming quite a lot of power. And then we had two Haas F1 cars trying to overtake us from behind. Esteban was holding everyone up, at least it was easy to see that on TV, so there was a risk that the two Haas would pass us. And that's why we gave that instruction. But you know, drivers always say things at the end of the race, but the next day we talk about it and they think differently."