Tensions are rising at Alpine after Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly clash at the Monaco Grand Prix.
It is now well known that things are not going well between Alpine drivers Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon. The two collided on the track several times, even in the past, forcing both cars to occasionally retire. There has always been this continuous rivalry between them which has always prevailed over the team and their progress. And it happened again this time at the Monaco GP where Ocon did not respect the team’s orders. This caused an accident, where Esteban Ocon touched his teammate Pierre Gasly.
The accident caused by Esteban Ocon at the Monaco GP
In this Monaco GP, there was one particular event that caused a lot of negative talk. The rivalry between the two Alpine teammates is a well-known fact. Several times in the past this rivalry has been the cause of a number of incidents on the track between the two teammates. A rivalry that unfortunately has only worsened over the years.
The protagonist of this Monaco GP was not only the victory of Charles Leclerc. But also the accident that Esteban Ocon caused. The French team’s incident that involved both drivers was a result of Ocon not respecting the expected team order, i.e. staying in their positions and without attacking. The incident led to the retirement of Ocon from the race. Fortunately for Alpine though, they scored a point as Pierre Gasly finished the race in P10.
Moments of tension at Alpine
The team leaders did not take well what happened during the race in Monaco. The idea of excluding Esteban Ocon from the team was considered, and he also received a 5-place grid penalty for the next race and 2 penalty points for causing a collision. In this accident caused by Ocon, conflicting opinions have opened up. Some are in favour of Ocon while others are not.
But there is one thing that must be kept in mind, regardless of any situation of hostility. Although there may be rivalry between the two teammates, it is always important to try to collaborate within the team. Because when these difficult situations arise, they disrupt the team. This is something that shouldn’t happen, especially in a team that is facing a season that is not at all easy. If there is no harmony and collaboration within the team, you will never be able to compete seriously. Conflicts that should be resolved outside the circuit.
Jolyon Palmer in favor of Ocon
“Removing the context of being teammates, Ocon’s manoeuvre actually made sense towards Gasly, and I don’t think he deserved a penalty from the stewards. Esteban was inside and only then did Pierre close him. In most circumstances, making an overtaking like this in Monaco means earning applause. Attempts like these should not be discouraged with unnecessary sanctions, but only if there are serious circumstances, but here we are talking about something legitimate, and I believe that stewards should be more moderate in making decisions. Gasly could also have left the gap and both cars would have remained on the track without contact.” – Former Renault driver and F1 analyst Jolyon Palmer.
“I made a mistake, so I apologize to the whole team for the accident and retirement. In the end, the team managed to score the points we had set ourselves, and that’s the most important thing. My car had too much damage to be able to continue the race despite the efforts of the guys during the stop due to the red flag. We will come back stronger all united, mistakes can happen in any area.” – Esteban Ocon apologised after the incident.
Possible “non-aggression pact”
Although initially there were rumours about Esteban Ocon’s possible departure from the team, it now seems that things are changing. It has been reported that Alpine could impose a “non-aggression pact” between Ocon and Gasly. So Ocon will not be replaced at the Canadian GP, but Alpine will ensure to avoid further future accidents.
