Photo by Bryn Lennon – Formula 1/Formula 1 via Getty Images
A new day dawns at Alpine at this weekend’s Dutch Grand Prix
When the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix came to a close, Alpine found themselves at the back of the pack. Drivers Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon locked out the back row for the first race of the 2024 Formula 1 season, and that poor start was the story of their first five race weekends.
But steady progression finally paid off at the Miami Grand Prix, when Ocon broke through with a tenth-place finish, delivering the team’s first point of the 2024 campaign. Now as Alpine looks ahead to the second half of the season, Ocon and Gasly are hoping to build on the promise of their recent results over the final ten races.
“It was non-stop from Bahrain to Belgium and during that time we progressed well,” said Gasly in the team’s preview of the Dutch Grand Prix. “Considering we were on the back row at the first race, to show the pace we did in some of the recent races is really promising for the rest of the season. It would have been nice to have both cars in the top ten before the break but our target remains to continuously add performance to the car and hopefully get ourselves into Q3 and into the points at as many races as we can.”
“We ended on a positive in Spa before everyone headed home for the break, securing another point scoring finish and my best of the season so far,” added Ocon. “It truly shows the hard work the team has been putting in both trackside and at the factories to progress to this point after a challenging start to the season. Now the break is over, and we are all ready to get back racing!”
Both drivers look forward to the challenges that the twisty circuit in Zandvoort will present to them. They also know that the nature of the circuit places importance on qualifying, which could come in wet conditions on Saturday.
“The first race back after a break always provides a good feeling and the atmosphere in Zandvoort is particularly incredible. The dedication and energy the Dutch fans bring to the weekend can really motivate you as a driver,” said Ocon. “The circuit itself is a challenging one with its tight corners and high speed but I love racing around it. There is little room for error so you have to be laser focused at all times and the opportunities for overtaking are limited which means that qualifying will be important for us to make the most out of the weekend.”
Gasly, who notched his only podium of 2023 in this race last year with a P3 finish, recalled that performance as he described Zandvoort.
“It’s brilliant to be heading back to Zandvoort for the next part of the season. Last year was obviously a great weekend with a podium finish and a hectic race in mixed conditions,” said Gasly. “It’s something I will look back on with great memories as it was my first Grand Prix podium with Alpine. We had to work hard for it, we made some bold and decisive calls that went our way, and, I must say, we deserved it.
“I’m a big fan of the old school, tight and twisty tracks and this one is relentless. There’s no room for error which makes every lap exciting for the drivers as well as the wild Dutch fans. You can overtake at this track, but it is very hard so qualifying and strategy are going to be very important. I’m really looking forward to getting back behind the wheel this weekend and going racing again.”
This weekend also marks the debut of Alpine’s new Team Principal, as Oliver Oakes was named to that role at the start of the summer shutdown. Oakes steps into the position recently vacated by Bruno Famin, who is going to focus on all motorsport-related activities for the Renault Group.
One of Oakes’ first orders of business might be naming the team’s second driver for the 2025 campaign. While Alpine confirmed Gasly will be returning for 2025 and beyond on a new “multi-year” deal, Ocon is headed to Haas for next season. Current reserve driver Jack Doohan, as well as former F1 driver Mick Schumacher, have been discussed as likely options for Alpine next year.
