Esteban Ocon described the double-podium end for Alpine on the 2024 Brazilian Grand Prix as the right strategy to finish his chapter with the French outfit.
Ocon’s rivalry with his Alpine team-mate on the time, Pierre Gasly, traces again to their childhood karting days in France, the place a detailed friendship was an intense private competitors that continued in Formulation 1.
Whereas they largely managed to maintain issues skilled throughout their time as team-mates on the French outfit in 2023 and 2024, there have been a handful of on-track incidents reminiscent of collisions on the Australian and Monaco Grands Prix.
Nonetheless, regardless of any underlying stress previous to Ocon leaving for Haas in 2025, the pair ended their partnership with a shock double podium on the 2024 Brazilian Grand Prix.
“It is a good closing chapter, for example, to the Alpine story,” Ocon advised F1 in a video alongside his Haas team-mate Ollie Bearman. “There was no higher strategy to shut it than that. And sure, we have lived so many issues with Pierre collectively and to be on the highest of the motorsport world… I imply, it is not a win, nevertheless it’s a podium collectively.
“It is extremely particular with in all probability one of many slowest automobiles on the grid on the time. The day earlier than, on the dry, I used to be P17, after which it rained. We awoke at 5:00 within the morning. The climate was enjoying quite a bit and I certified fourth and I used to be main the race for 15 laps or 20 laps, which was sudden to say the least.
Esteban Ocon, Alpine, Pierre Gasly, Alpine
Picture by: Lubomir Asenov / Motorsport Pictures
“However to complete on the rostrum, it was so sudden that I did not battle for the win so laborious, which is a little bit of remorse of mine, possibly. There was one alternative to attain a podium that 12 months, and that was the one, and I did not need to bin it.
“But when I used to be capable of battle just a little bit extra for podium finishes throughout the 12 months, possibly I’d have fought Max a bit tougher as a result of there was an opportunity of truly successful the race.
“So I used to be glad to take second. However deep inside me, it did not really feel full. There was one thing just a little bit extra to play, however nonetheless a tremendous consequence and good that we each managed to be on the rostrum.”
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