Ocon at Spa: Calls for Major Alpine F1 Shift

Esteban Ocon arrives at Spa insisting on crucial changes at Alpine F1, despite setting no firm expectations for the race.

Esteban Ocon begins his final Belgian Grand Prix with Alpine F1, a last one before the summer break.

The Frenchman obviously hopes to erase the disastrous Hungarian weekend and head into vacation with at least a small smile. And perhaps finally receive official news about his future (expected at Haas F1).

“Hungary was tough for the whole team,” admits Ocon.

“We missed our mark by not going out for one last attempt in qualifying, which set us back. Then, the race was challenging with tire management and a less-than-optimal strategy. It’s frustrating as a team to know we could have done better, but hindsight always makes it easier to see where we went wrong.”

The Frenchman was harsh on Canal+ after the race.

“Honestly, apart from the start, there was nothing good. No pace, no stability in the car, lots of tire degradation. We had to stop at the end because we had no tires left. Honestly, if we had retired at the beginning, it wouldn’t have been much different. So, we see that others brought parts and we haven’t yet.”

“We should have some things coming soon, performance needs to change, but anyway, there are big problems in these last two races, whether in operation or pure speed. These two weekends are very disappointing, and honestly, I think we would have done better to save the car by retiring, rather than finishing.”

“We have a lot to analyze and debrief about this weekend, but we are working together to identify and solve all our problems as we head to Belgium, hoping to finish beautifully before the summer break.”

“After several years in Formula 1, it’s always an incredible feeling to race at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, where I made my F1 debut in 2016. It’s a classic and the longest track on the calendar. It poses a unique challenge for us drivers, with its long straights and wide variety of turns.”

“Weather always plays a role in Belgium, especially given the size of the track and how conditions can vary from one section to another. Therefore, strategy will be key during the race and we must come together to make the right decisions and have a successful weekend.”