Esteban Ocon honestly admits he and Pierre Gasly "will never be best friends"

17 February 2023 , 21:14

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Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon form an intriguing driver partnership at Alpine this year (Image: Alpine F1 Team)

Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly insist they are ready to put aside their past grievances to form an effective driver partnership at Alpine.

On paper, having two French drivers on the books is a dream scenario for the Renault-backed team. Not to mention it is a nice new chapter in the story which began with Ocon and Gasly being childhood friends with dreams of racing at the highest level.

But somewhere in the midst of that particular book is the part where the two young French racers had a falling-out. Both driver say, though, that they are more than grown up enough to put any personal feelings aside.

"You guys like the headlines and all these kinds of stories but we are both very professional and we are going to work the way we need to be performing," said the pragmatic Ocon. "I don't think we will ever be best friends but that doesn't matter really as long as the atmosphere is great inside the team.

"That's how it is at the moment and that's how it will remain during the year. What's important is we keep those open conversations we are having at the moment and we will have during the season, because we are not at the point where we can win every race.

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"We need to develop this car and get the maximum conversation flow going to find ideas moving forwards. I am not worried. It is going to be a great collaboration."

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Gasly's attitude is similar, and spoke positively about the way they have already worked together over the winter to prepare for the new season. The former AlphaTauri man said: "We are grown-up people, more mature, and we are aware of the responsibilities of being Alpine drivers and having such a big group behind us.

"We have to work closely together if we want to be competitive. That's why I have no doubt everything will be fine. I have spent more time with him over the last two months than I have spent over the last 10 years. Things are going well.

"It's such big move for me, closing a chapter of nine years with Red Bull and starting this new project with Alpine and seeing everything that is available and all the resources they have. With a manufacturer, there is no limit, no ceiling, which is what I used to have in a way in the past."

Daniel Moxon