Formula 1

Alpine’s A523 more advanced than A522 – Ocon

Published

1 month ago

19/02/2023

According to Esteban Ocon, Alpine’s A523 Formula 1 car is “race-ready” and far more advanced than its predecessor, the A522, which now appears like a toy in comparison.

Despite appearing to be a gentler evolution in car design, technical director Matt Harman has revealed significant changes were made to key areas, particularly at the rear of the car. He also noted that Alpine had taken an “aggressive” approach during the winter, which will continue through the in-season development phase.

Alpine had a successful upgrade programme in 2022, and the team is looking to build on that momentum. Ocon, who considers himself a “mechanical guy,” is impressed with this year’s design and believes it’s already much more advanced than its predecessor.

The A523 appears to be a significant improvement over the A522, which helped Alpine secure fourth place in last year’s constructors’ championship. However, with its aggressive approach and successful upgrade programme, the team is confident it can climb even higher in the standings this year.

According to Harman, the changes made to the A523 were not just cosmetic; they were substantial and aimed at improving the car’s performance in several key areas. The rear of the car, in particular, received a significant overhaul.

Alpine’s aggressive approach during the winter will also be reflected in the team’s in-season development. The team is determined to continue improving the A523 throughout the season and gain an advantage over their competitors.

Ocon’s admiration for the A523 is not surprising. The French driver has a keen eye for detail and appreciates the mechanical intricacies of the car. He is looking forward to testing the car’s capabilities during the upcoming season.

Alpine’s commitment to improvement is evident in their recent history. The team was known as Renault before rebranding as Alpine in 2021. Since then, they have steadily improved, finishing fifth in the constructors’ championship that year before jumping up to fourth in 2022.

With the A523, Alpine is looking to continue that upward trajectory. The team is hoping that the changes they made to the car will translate into improved performance on the track. Ocon is optimistic about the team’s chances and believes that the A523 is already one of the best cars on the grid.

When asked about Alpine’s performance during the winter, Esteban Ocon stated that he closely inspects the car’s details and overall appearance. He admires how each part fits together and how the carbon seat and pedal box are finished.

According to Ocon, this year’s car is a significant improvement over last year’s, which he likened to a toy in comparison. The new A523 is a “proper race machine” and a huge step forward. Ocon is optimistic about the team’s chances this season, but he’s also eager to see how the car performs on the track.

Ocon believes that the second generation of cars built to F1’s latest ground effect ruleset is visually more impressive. He noted that Mercedes has broadly stuck with its outlier concept from 2022, but the car looks more detailed than last year’s models. Ocon thinks that the Aston Martin, Mercedes, and other cars in the field look very fast, but he’s waiting to see where everyone sits once they start running.

Alpine’s team principal, Otmar Szafnauer, emphasized the team’s trajectory during the launch. He believes that it’s essential for Alpine to outdevelop every other team in 2023 to achieve its goal of retaining fourth place while reducing its deficit to F1’s big three teams: Red Bull, Ferrari, and Mercedes.

Ocon noted that it was doubly significant that Alpine was in good shape when the heavily revised car hit the track for the first time in a shakedown session at Silverstone last Monday. The team’s confidence in the car is high, and they’re optimistic about their chances this season.

Szafnauer believes that it’s crucial for Alpine to outdevelop every other team in 2023 to achieve its goal of retaining fourth place while reducing its deficit to F1’s big three teams. The team’s confidence is high, and they’re optimistic about their chances this season.

According to Esteban Ocon, the 2022 season was great for Alpine. The team performed consistently and frequently scored points. However, Ocon believes that they need to start with a car that performs better than last year to improve for 2023.

Last year, the team struggled early on and wasn’t in the best shape during the winter test and the first few races. This year, Ocon believes that the team is race-ready, which is a massive step up from last year.

Outdeveloping the competition is Alpine’s aim for 2023 to close the gap between fourth and third place. Ocon emphasized that finishing fourth is not the same as finishing close to third place. The team cannot underestimate the other teams, and there was a huge gap between third and fourth place last year. If Alpine finishes fourth but is close to third, it will be a super-successful season.

Ocon added that during the shakedown, he was already able to feel if the car had an issue with its balance or anything fundamental, but that wasn’t the case.

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The car was spot-on from the moment they put it on the track. This was very reassuring for Ocon as it meant that the sim worked the same way as the car on the track, and the model correlated perfectly. So far, it’s been very good.

Matt Harmon agreed with Ocon’s comments, stating that the team is in much better shape than last year. He pushed the team to the limit last season, but it wasn’t necessary this year. During the filming day, the team faultlessly completed their 100km and was able to focus on the drivers’ feedback rather than maintaining the car around the circuit.

In summary, Ocon believes that the team needs to start with a better-performing car this year to improve on last year’s results. The team is race-ready, which is a significant improvement over last year.

Outdeveloping the competition is the team’s aim for 2023 to close the gap between fourth and third place. Ocon is optimistic about the team’s chances this season and was reassured during the shakedown that the sim worked the same way as the car on the track, and the model correlated perfectly. Harmon agrees that the team is in much better shape this year, and they were able to focus on the drivers’ feedback during the filming day.

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