25 September 2023 , 14:34
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Alpine interim chief Bruno Famin said he will hold talks with his drivers after Pierre Gasly reacted angrily to being told to swap positions with Esteban Ocon at the end of the Japanese Grand Prix.
Earlier in the race, Ocon was told to let Gasly through when the latter was on fresher tyres, in order to chase down cars ahead. Having failed to make any further progress, he was then told by his Alpine race engineer to give the place back to his team-mate.
Gasly obeyed the order but was not happy about it. "Wait, what the f***?" he shouted over the radio, later calling the decision a "complete joke". Speaking to reporters, he shared his confusion about the situation and said it was not an outcome that had been discussed before the race.
He said: "I was told that Esteban decided to undercut me with the strategy, to favour him, [and] it would obviously undercut me, who was the leading car, and they would let me pass so we don't lose time. It was never said that we'd need to invert again the positions, because I started ahead and I was always in front."
Gasly's claim that he was faster was later put to Ocon, who dismissed it as "irrelevant". He said: "I've been with the team for four years now, and the rule has always been that. I had it with Fernando [Alonso] that, if one driver swaps position – in this instance, I gave the position to Pierre – I need to get the position in front to keep the position, otherwise, you give the place back to your team-mate.
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"That's always what we've done, and if I am on the other side, I would obviously do the same. But I prefer the fight to be on-track. I am more of an old-school guy and would never ask for the position to be switched.
"I understand the team's point of view, which was trying to get more places, to get Fernando and get more points, but unfortunately we didn't get that.
Alpine drivers Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly (Getty Images)"[That Gasly was quicker] is not really relevant, because you need to fight for your place on track and, until we can be as fast as we want, if you don't make the move, you never know who is going to be prompted [to move aside]."
Tension between the two Frenchmen was expected this year. Though they were childhood friends, Ocon and Gasly fell out as they pursued their F1 dreams and their relationship has not quite recovered since.
That Alpine partnership was one of two picked out by Sky Sports F1 pundit Karun Chandhok in March, as having potential to be dramatic this year. "Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly at Alpine is going to implode at some stage. It's just a question of when," he said.
Interim team principal Famin insisted after the Suzuka race that the team as "no problem between the drivers". He said: "They are all fighting for having their own best results, which is normal and what they are paid for. But they are also paid for having the best team results.
"Of course, with the stress of the race, we may have some declarations [that are] a bit strong, but I have absolutely no doubt about the drivers being on the same line together. For having the best team result, we left Pierre in front of Esteban to have the possibility, even if it was small, of trying to catch Fernando. This was not possible, so to swap back is very normal.
"We need to check whether the driver received well the information. But anyway, the manoeuvre was done in the interests of the team, and I have absolutely no doubt that both drivers agree with that. If we have to do it a bit differently the other way [around] during the coming races, they will do it. They know that, and there is no tension. It is just execution of the race."