Alpine are currently seventh in the championship and are presently involved in a fight with AlphaTauri and Aston Martin at the back of the midfield. While Fernando Alonso has recently been getting the better of the package, Esteban Ocon, who recently signed with the team for another three years, has only scored two points in the last five races. Alpine CEO Laurent Rossi has now accessed his drivers while speaking to the BBC
Link to poll: https://www.youtube.com/post/Ugy7OPsq-rcKlV715K14AaABCQ
0:00 - Esteban Ocon Might Not Be “World Champion Material” Says Alpine CEO
1:52 - Fast Feed
I'm your host Dillon Shelley and first up on Formula World:
Esteban Ocon Might Not Be “World Champion Material” Says Alpine CEO
Rossi began by praising Fernando Alonso while stating that he is tempted to exercise the one-plus-one contract option with Alonso and sign him for next year as well
“The car is not incredibly fast and he still manages to get some super-hot laps and qualify the car very well. So far, so good. He is doing everything for me to consider exercising this [contractual] option”
He further explained why Alonso has earned the right to challenge the team
“It is challenging everyone all the time but very respectfully. And he can do it because he has proven himself so it is not like he wants to deflect responsibility”
He then spoke about Ocon and his current role in the team
“He might not be guaranteed world champion material. Who can be dubbed this way? Not many drivers at the moment. I would not let anyone say he is a lesser driver than Carlos [Sainz of Ferrari] or any of the so-called second drivers of the top teams”
He, however, feels that Ocon has the potential to be a top driver
“So, at the very least I have myself an excellent second driver, and I frankly think he has all it takes to become a top driver”
He signed off by looking at where he hopes to be at the end of 2022
“It will be a rich man's problem if at the end of 2022 I have the likes of [Alpine young drivers Oscar] Piastri [and Guanyu] Zhou knocking at the door and at the same time Fernando winning race after race. At least I have those options”
Fast Feed
AlphaTauri’s Pierre Gasly feels that “as for [their] chances, [they've] seen in the last few races that McLaren and Ferrari have made a big step forward” [AlphaTauri Press Release]
They “are fighting with Alpine and Aston Martin for the fifth place in the championship and that is the goal [they] have to aim for”
He also pointed out that “it looks like another very hot weekend given the heat at the moment in Europe. Nevertheless, [he is] ready for it”
Williams’ George Russell has confirmed that “there’s no chance [he'll] be driving for Red Bull next year. As [he] said before, [he’s] a Mercedes driver” [RTL]
“Of course, it's nice to get positive feedback from the Formula One world or to hear of interest from other teams, but [his] loyalty lies solely with Mercedes”
He also revealed that “the race at Spa is the earliest possible time [when an announcement can be made about his future], but certainly not earlier. That kind of thing just takes time”
Haas team principal Guenther Steiner suggested that George Russell “will be on the market, but limited to the Mercedes teams” [RTL]
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff thinks that “it's important for George [Russell] and Valtteri [Bottas] to know whether they'll be driving next year and that's gonna happen” [ESPN]
He further expects “some questions in Spa”
Retired F1 driver Mark Webber pointed out that Mercedes’ Lewis “Hamilton has won a lot of races at the Hungaroring in sub-par machinery. Races he had no right to win, but he did win” [Motorsport]
“Hamilton is going to need to be at his best again. Verstappen is... you know, he's a gladiator. That's exactly what we expect of him. It's going to be a good weekend”
He further suggested that “every race is important now, and inevitably there will be some more carbon fibre between the pair of them going into the air. Two of the best duking it out”
Retired world champion Damon Hill thinks that Lewis and Max “need to cool it down a bit. They were both very aggressive in the race” [F1 Nation Podcast]
He further suggested that it was “a combination of factors that made Lewis maybe a little more desperate and aggressive”
“And Max too. Because that first half lap was perhaps the most exciting and daring and also slightly risky opening lap I've seen in a long time”, Hill concluded
McLaren team principal Andreas Seidl feels that “the challenges posed by the Hungaroring may not suit [their] car as much other circuits on the calendar” [McLaren Website]
However, “much of the fight for third this year will be decided by how well [they] perform at tracks that don’t naturally play to [their] strengths”
Can Esteban Ocon become a top driver in the future?
0 Comments