Esteban Ocon is happy to ‘finally’ get one thing from Alpine at the Spanish Grand Prix after revealing what team boss Bruno Famin ‘promised’ amid tensions in their garage.
The Enstone natives have found themselves at the centre of conflicts in recent weeks. Alpine even made more headlines at the Spanish GP after announcing that Flavio Briatore is back in Formula 1. The disgraced team chief has taken the position of executive adviser to the team.
Briatore’s return to Enstone followed a calamitous few weeks for Alpine, which featured the team confirming that Ocon will leave. His contract expires after the 2024 season and will not be renewed in a move made after he crashed with teammate Pierre Gasly in the Monaco GP.
Esteban Ocon says Bruno Famin has ‘promised’ Alpine’s drivers ‘equal treatment’
Ocon enraged Alpine chief Famin in Monte Carlo after divebombing Gasly at Portier. His dive on the opening lap also ended the 27-year-old’s race due to the damage his A524 sustained. The Canadian GP also saw tensions flare as Alpine ordered Ocon to yield a position to Gasly.
Alpine felt Gasly represented their greater chance of overtaking Daniel Ricciardo in the final laps when Ocon failed to pass the Visa Cash App RB driver. But Ocon initially refused, before eventually moving aside too late for his 28-year-old teammate to make a move on Ricciardo.
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A dispute over Gasly and Ocon’s chassis also did not help the tension in Alpine’s garage from the Monaco GP and the Canadian GP. But Ocon says Famin has ‘promised’ the drivers ‘equal treatment’ and that Alpine will also now offer him their lighter chassis from the Spanish GP.
“Bruno has promised us that we will receive equal treatment this season,” Ocon revealed, as quoted by Formule1. “I will therefore drive the lighter car this weekend.”
Esteban Ocon will run Alpine’s lighter chassis at the Spanish, Austrian and British GPs
Ocon will get Alpine’s lighter chassis at this weekend’s Spanish GP, plus the Austrian GP and the British GP. F1 is embarking on its first triple-header of the term before a two-week break ahead of the Hungarian GP. But Alpine have been rotating their lighter chassis all campaign.
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The difference between the chassis is believed to be a couple of kilograms, which Ocon has run with since the Miami GP. Alpine started 2024 by gifting Ocon their lighter chassis before Gasly adopted it in Florida. They will also continue to rotate chassis for the rest of the term.
Having Alpine’s heavier chassis would have played a part in Ocon qualifying behind Gasly for the Monaco GP and the Canadian GP. But he still managed to outpace his compatriot at the Miami GP and the Emilia Romagna GP. Ocon even heads Gasly 6-3 in qualifying this season.
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