Alpine stood firm with Ocon after contact with Alonso

In the penultimate race of the year, with a Alpine very fast in terms of speed, the French cannot afford to lose any more points. They came in with just 7 points ahead McLaren in the fight for the fourth position of the World builders. And on Saturday, they saw how their speeding car was useless to them because of the fratricidal battle in between. Ocon and Alonso. Ocon pushed him out of turn 4 and Alonso, trying to pass him in the slipstream, collided with Esteban on the straight. As a result, Alonso started 17th and Ocon, 16th, with Lando Norris 5th.

Things are looking very bad and McLaren could put the French in serious trouble. For this reason, the head of Alpine, Otmar Szafnauer, warned his pilots before the race on the ‘DAZN F1’ microphone. “We are disappointed. We have to do better now and in the next race. The message to the drivers is that being in F1 takes a lot of effort and you have to remember all the hardworking people who also want to finish 4th in the championship, that’s what they have to do and not crash.”Otmar said.

And in the race Alpine is strong with Esteban Ocon for the first time on this course, at a crucial moment of trial. Norris and Ricciardo dropped out. With both McLarens out, Alpine had to score points to get away from Woking for the final round. Alonso was 9th after taking advantage of the last ‘Safety Car’ to enter the pits. He has new soft rubber and can attack. Ocon is just ahead, 8th, with an older tire and should not waste time on the Spaniard in his final attack. After the restart, there were 11 laps to go and Fernando had to push as hard as he could.

Ocon’s conversation on his radio wall

This time the Alpine wall gave clear and concise orders to Esteban. He had to pass Alonso without fighting because he had better tires. “Fernando is behind. Don’t focus on him. Focus on beating Vettel,” they told him. “Let me fight now. I’ll appreciate it when things adjust a bit, if we don’t lose it on restart”Stephen said.

“Esteban, I don’t want you to fight with Fernando. Please confirm that you understand this”his engineer told him. “I have to pass Vettel now. I will not fight Fernando”, the pilot pointed out. “You can pass Vettel but I don’t want you to compete with Fernando. I hope that’s clear”, repeated the wall. Esteban did not reply to the message, he would put his head down and let Alonso pass, who eventually finished 5th after a great comeback.

In this way, Alpine managed to leave Brazil with a 19-point margin over McLaren with one race to go for the outcome of the World Cup, in Abu Dhabi.

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In Bahrain, in Saudi Arabia and Hungary they said nothing

Consequently, team orders prevented Esteban Ocon from harming Fernando Alonso as he did in Saturday’s sprint race, when he left him with no space at turn 4, or in previous appointments, in which Alpine had no say in Norman driver. In Bahrain, an incomprehensible initial battle between Alonso and Ocon punished the Asturian on the wheels too much: “Our fight is a guillotine.”

In the next race, at Saudi Arabia, the Alpines were unable to take advantage of their excellent race pace due to another battle between their two drivers, with Ocon’s defense exceeding the limit of what was allowed, dangerously closing Fernando Alonso against the wall. Alonso could have battled for fifth place with Russell, but the Briton escaped taking advantage of the fight between teammates. Alpine did not ask Esteban to pass Fernando despite the Spaniard’s better pace.

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It happened again in Hungarywith an aggressive defense in the beginning against Fernando. “Never in my life have I seen a defense like Esteban’s today. Never!”said the Asturian furiously on the radio.

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But again, Alpine didn’t play its cards right in that regard. Until arriving in Brazilwhere what could have happened in earlier appointments turned into a sprint race, with both their cars finishing behind after two touches.

Alonso, who had a great race at Interlagos, was able to change the management mistake the team made with its two drivers. Alpine doesn’t know how to put one in front of the other, allowing the one with the most speed to pass some rounds, something that has cost the French team a lot of points all year. They did it in the penultimate race of the year. “Today we didn’t crash,” highlighted Fernando, smiling at his 5th place at the end of the Brazilian GP.