Alpine's Weight Struggles Turn F1 Season into Driver Roulette - The Intriguing Truth Behind Ocon's Gripes
Formula 1's intricate balance of performance has taken a frustrating turn for Alpine, as Esteban Ocon reveals the team has resorted to rotating the weight disadvantage between drivers. In a candid disclosure, Ocon shared that his car was a 'couple of kilos' heavier in the Canadian Grand Prix, exacerbating the team’s already struggling performance with the uncompetitive A524 chassis.
Alpine began the season anticipating challenges with a revised car concept. Yet, the problems turned out to be far worse than anticipated. Concern mounted when the Enstone-based squad’s car showcased increased exposed carbon at its launch, hinting at an excessive weight that would be detrimental in the highly competitive F1 landscape. These fears were realized, forcing the team to introduce a new lightweight chassis at the Chinese Grand Prix in a desperate bid to shed the excess bulk.
Alpine F1 Team A524"/>Shifting the Weight Burden
Despite these efforts, weight remains a significant issue. According to Ocon, both he and teammate Pierre Gasly have had to rotate who bears the weight penalty. This rotation has been a significant factor in several suboptimal performances, including Ocon's narrow Q1 exit in Montreal. The Frenchman revealed, "We have a difference in terms of weight between cars, something we will rotate and that will be on Pierre’s car soon as well. But at the moment, it adds up to the list of today, and that’s the reason why we’re not able to go through."
The Frustration Boils Over
The weight issue is not only a physical burden but has also led to heightened tensions within the team. Ocon's aggravation peaked when despite a stellar drive that took him from 18th to 10th on the grid, the team decided not to revert the cars, which led to Gasly attempting, albeit unsuccessfully, to chase down Daniel Ricciardo. He expressed profound frustration, saying, "No, it is unexplainable, that one. I’ve always respected the instructions that I’ve been given, as a driver, and I’ve done that once more. I’m the nice guy!"
Ocon continued, "I’ve done my part of the job – the team hasn’t, honestly. It is not fair, on that race. So, I’m very frustrated with how things have been played out. I guess there are a lot of reasons, so we’ll let the benefit of the doubt go on."
Team Dynamics at Play
Team Principal Bruno Famin was quick to downplay any talk of intra-team conflict, attributing the issues to the inherent difficulty of team orders. "There’s no real friction," he stated. "They are drivers, and when you ask one driver, whoever it is, to give his position to his teammate, generally it’s not so easy. But we did it for the sake of the team on purpose."
Famin explained that the decision to have Ocon give up his position was strategic, aimed at managing energy consumption and preventing overtakes by the two Haas cars trailing them. "Esteban was fighting a bit with the energy management, consuming quite a lot of energy, and then we had two Haas [cars] on the back. Esteban was slowing everybody; it was quite obvious on TV, and the risk was to have the two Haas cars passing us. And that’s why we gave that instruction," added Famin.
As the dust settles, it's clear that Alpine is navigating a complex web of performance issues, internal dynamics, and strategic decisions. Each race becomes a gamble, not just against the competition, but within their own team structure, making for an intriguing subplot in this F1 season.