The real surprise of the Interlagos weekend was Alpine. The double podium achieved by Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly completely transformed (positively) the team’s season as well as the lower part of the Constructors’ standings.
In the first twenty races, Alpine had obtained fourteen points, while in the Brazilian weekend they scored thirty-five (the team with the most points that weekend), jumping to sixth place in the team championship and surpassing Williams, Racing Bull, and Haas in one fell swoop. If this leap is confirmed at the end of the season, it will increase the income from Liberty Media by thirty million dollars.
To achieve this remarkable result, the team put together everything possible, taking advantage of every opportunity that arose during the weekend. The developments brought to Austin allowed for a significant performance leap, proving perfect under the rain in Interlagos.
The wet track also eliminated the engine gap that Alpine has long suffered from (the team estimates it to be between two and three tenths depending on the type of track). Additionally, the race was perfectly managed, including the decision to postpone the pit stop when the race director displayed the red flag for Franco Colapinto’s incident. This was a crucial moment.
“In the first part of the race, we saw that overtaking was very difficult,” explained team principal Oliver Oakes after responding to a message from president Luca De Meo. “At that point, the decision was to stay on track as long as possible to avoid having to recover positions.”
Even when the safety car was deployed, both Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly remained on track, confirming their first and third positions when the race was interrupted. When the race resumed, the Alpine duo only ceded to Max Verstappen, confirming for thirty laps that they fully deserved their double presence on the podium.
It was the drivers who were one of the most important pieces in the perfect Brazilian mosaic. On a day when many opponents made mistakes, Esteban Ocon delivered an outstanding performance, perfectly managing the race when he found himself in the lead and quickly realizing that there would be nothing to do against Verstappen. “Esteban and Pierre made no mistakes,” emphasized Oliver Oakes. “They earned on the track what they achieved, and it was great to see them together on the podium. I know they have had some past issues in their relationship, let’s say a difference of views, but they have always provided the team with a great contribution, even on difficult weekends. Today it was clear how important their roles were; the conditions were very challenging, and both were impeccable.” – he pointed out.
The result of the Brazilian Grand Prix for Alpine was exhilarating, but the good news for the long term was the confirmation that they could aim for Q3 even on a dry track. However, this is provided that there are no excessively long straights (as will be the case in Las Vegas) where the engine deficiencies become apparent. “You say that,” Oakes smiled, “I can’t say it! We have to be confident and stay humble; we know that the competition in the lower part of the standings is really tight, we see it every time we hit the track.”
The double podium in Brazil was also the first for the young Alpine team principal, who has been in office since July 31. “As soon as Esteban and Pierre crossed the finish line, Flavio (Briatore, absent in Brazil) called me. What did he say? ‘Why haven’t you called me yet?’ I replied that I had been a bit busy! I’m very happy for Flavio; I believe this result means a lot to him as well.”
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