Two French and Norman drivers, both Grand Prix winners, in a French and Norman team. This is the marriage that Alpine is offering us for this 2023 Formula 1 season, with its two drivers Esteban Ocon, and Pierre Gasly. No more confusion with Fernando Alonso, gone to Aston Martin, on sale, the imbroglio Piastri, now places one of the most anticipated duos of the next season in F1.
“Pierre, a French pilot, from Normandy, who is joining us. It’s a bit of a coincidence, it’s not what guided our choice. The choice was a fast driver; and Pierre was the fastest of the pilots available, or even not available [Alpine a dû s’acquitter d’un chèque pour débaucher Gasly du giron RedBull]. Above all, he has the characteristics that interest us, he is recognized as a good, even very good developer”, could savor Laurent Rossi, the boss of Alpine after the signing of his new driver.
He was able to complete his first laps at the wheel of the new A523 on the Silverstone circuit on Monday, before the presentation of the single-seater with great fanfare this Thursday evening in London. “It was fantastic to get back behind the wheel, especially in my new colors with Alpine. Today was about getting a first idea of the single-seater and I felt extremely good during my laps. It was a proud moment to drive it seeing all those faces in the garage”, he said satisfied at the end of the “shakedown”.
“The first time he rode a kart was in mine”
The story is beautiful, the two drivers have known each other since childhood and have shared this dream of racing in Formula 1 since their childhood. near Rouen. We rode together on the same circuits, in the same competitions. It’s just crazy to think that that’s it, we’re going to ride in one of the biggest teams in the world, and in addition in a Norman brand. It’s a great story, and I can’t wait to start the collaboration,” rejoices Esteban Ocon.
But with two drivers of the same age, 27 this year, a substantially equivalent experience -111 races for Ocon, 108 for Gasly- and a Grand Prix each to their credit, the comparison between the two drivers could create friction, which has already appeared in the entourage of the two pilots in the lower categories. Nothing to worry about Esteban Ocon, who had to make his way against Fernando Alonso, not known to be one of the easiest teammates, during the last two seasons: “No, I don’t dread the collaboration with Pierre. We have a great story to create together, we still have a lot of work to take this car to the highest level. As in any season in F1, you always have to prove. I’m in better shape than ever, and I’ll be on top next year so there won’t be any worries”.
“Don’t miss it”
Laurent Rossi, well aware of the situation, warns from the outset: “There will be no hierarchy, not to start the season”. If one of the two drivers stands out “clearly” in the standings, then he will “naturally” be favored for the contribution of innovations. With this desire for “strict collaboration” between the sides of the garage, “the trademark” of Alpine, unlike RedBull which favors Max Verstappen to the detriment of Sergio Perez, “a more truly modern management”, according to the boss from Alpine. And that Pierre Gasly had to learn the hard way during the 12 races contested with RedBull in 2019, a failure.
The Alpine boss will be able to draw on the experience of the stormy end of the 2022 season between Esteban Ocon and Fernando Alonso, for better management of his two French drivers in 2023:
It’s day-to-day management, it’s still high-level athletes. Both know that they are expected at the turn, and that if something happens between them, they will be the losers more than us. Because everyone will expect that to happen. It’s time to show, too, that they are big adults, capable of pulling the team up and transforming themselves from fast drivers into mature leaders, he says, without hesitating to put them under pressure. They are 26 years old, at the end of their contract they will approach more than 30 years old, we must not miss each other either. The younger generation is pushing very hard and it’s dangerous in this kind of situation to find yourself pushed by a team because you haven’t shown sufficient maturity to make it progress. I think they are responsible people, both have assured me individually and together that they will give the best”.
Podium objective
On the track side, the French team is rather confident about its ability to bring a competitive single-seater to its driver duo, with a new floor to avoid the porpoising effect which penalized many teams in 2022. In December, “ the single-seater [2023] was already faster than that of 2022″, thanks, in particular, to the acquisition of a “dynamic bench which makes it possible to test the single-seater in an almost real driving situation”. What to approach this new season with a single-seater “much more ready for the first Grand Prix than in 2022, and potentially already much faster”, according to Laurent Rossi. What to aim to solidify the 4th place obtained in 2022 in the classification of the constructors, “and why not third”, with the desire to see at least one of the two pilots on the podium, “the natural progression”, for Alpine.
If the arrival of Pierre Gasly is the big change of this off-season, there should not be any on the livery of the next A523. “She’s going to change a bit. We are going to stay within fairly well-known codes, so there will be no big surprises, ”warned the boss. It’s more on the track than we would like to see, to be honest.