Alpine's Silverstone Fiasco: How Ocon and Gasly Endured a Disaster Weekend
The British Grand Prix at Silverstone was nothing short of a nightmare for the Alpine team, with Esteban Ocon summing up the weekend as a series of “every single wrong decision.” Starting from a dismal P18 on the grid due to a poor qualifying session, Ocon's bad luck was cemented in the early stages of the race. As rain began to fall, the team opted to switch to intermediate tyres, only to quickly revert back to slicks when conditions changed once again. This confusion at the pits set the tone for a forgettable race, which concluded with Ocon finishing in a disappointing P16.
A Tale of Missteps
It wasn’t just a single error that marred Alpine’s weekend; it was a series of unfortunate decisions. Ocon himself admitted, “We basically took every single wrong decision since the beginning of the weekend on anything it can be – on the car, on the strategy, on everything.” It's a damning verdict from the French driver who seemed visibly frustrated with the team’s performance. Even the strategy appeared out of sync with the race conditions, resulting in a car that was oppositely suited to the track’s requirements at every turn.
Ocon reflected on the dismal performance, saying, “There’s nothing to learn about this weekend. We just need to focus on the next one and turn the page.” It’s hard to argue with him, especially when the weekend was such a far cry from Alpine’s recent upturn in form. Silverstone was less about refining tactics and more about damage limitation, and even that proved to be too tall an order for the Alpine team.
Pierre Gasly’s Brief Appearance
On the other side of the garage, Pierre Gasly's weekend was set to be an uphill battle from the start, thanks to an engine penalty that pushed him to the back of the grid. Any hope of redemption was dashed early when he returned to the pit lane before the race even began due to a gearbox problem. “We knew our weekend would start on Sunday – the plan for the weekend was to take this engine penalty and the battery change, so it was compromised from the first place,” Gasly explained, only to add that mixed weather conditions had offered a glimmer of hope which was ultimately squelched by mechanical failure.
Gasly's disappointment was palpable when he stated, “Definitely not an ideal situation, just got to understand and hopefully make sure that we don’t suffer this issue anymore.” It’s a sentiment echoed by teams and drivers who understand that reliability is as crucial as speed in Formula 1.
Looking Forward
As Alpine looks ahead, the focus will undoubtedly be on not just learning from their mistakes but erasing them entirely from their playbook. Esteban Ocon's impending departure from the team adds a layer of urgency to their need to prove that Silverstone was a fluke rather than a forecast. Next races will be a litmus test; can Alpine pivot from this disastrous weekend and regain momentum?
For now, the team and its drivers are left to reflect on what was an absolute nadir in their season. From missteps in tyre choices to struggling with the car setup, it’s a weekend they’ll want to forget but must remember in order to move forward effectively.