Alpine team-mates Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly addressed the growing pressure from Alpine CEO Laurent Rossi following the Miami Grand Prix, sharing Rossi’s frustration about the French team’s gloomy start to the season.
The Enstone-based outfit finished fourth in the Constructors’ Championship last season with the hope that the team would be able to retain the ‘best of the rest’ position and close in on Ferrari, Mercedes and Red Bull.
But while Alpine have scored points at three of the first five races, the French side currently sits sixth in the Constructors’ Championship behind McLaren.
The disappointing start to Alpine’s season started to become clear as early as pre-season testing where the team had been surpassed by Aston Martin and showed no significant signs of challenging the top three.
While a double-points finish in Miami gave Alpine some welcome relief, Alpine CEO Rossi insisted that there would be consequences enforced if its form doesn’t turn around soon.
Addressing speculation about Rossi’s distain, Ocon maintained: “I’m focusing on my racing.”
“My job is to deliver on track and get the maximum out of the car.”
Alpine’s new addition for this season, Gasly, confirmed that he and the team are in constant conversation with the Alpine CEO and Renault CEO Luca de Meo but there is a feeling of disappointment and frustration among the Alpine squad.
“It’s a constant conversation with Laurent and Luca and everyone in the team,” Gasly said.
“I think we are all disappointed with the start in the first four races but we didn’t manage to capitalise on all the opportunities we had and that is why I think today [in Miami] it’s good to score with both cars.”
Gasly believes that Alpine is moving in the right direction as the team picked up six points in Miami.
“We obviously want more and be fighting with Mercedes and Ferrari and the guys ahead of us and I think we’re not too far from that.”
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