Formula 1 | Alpine F1: Ocon ‘couldn’t have hoped for better’ than 7th place

Esteban Ocon started 12th on the starting grid for the Spanish Grand Prix, but the Alpine F1 driver managed to climb back, notably at the cost of an aggressive and controlled start to the race, to a very fine seventh place finish. . He scores points for the fifth time in six races this season.

« It was a great race, I’m really happy with the result » said the French pilot. « We couldn’t have hoped for better today. Bottas was too fast in front, and there was a group that formed in front of us. I had been aggressive at the start of the race, I overtook two or three cars and it was going strong. »

He does not sulk his satisfaction to see the two Alpines get in the points: « Yes it feels good, especially after our qualifying which was complicated yesterday. Seeing the two cars in the points today, with one starting last and the other out of the top 10, was a bit unexpected and that a flavor of podium or victory. »

The heat made his race difficult, both physically and in terms of tire management, but he hopes to continue this momentum next weekend: « It was tough, that’s for sure. It was very hot all the way, we had a lot of degradation with the tires so we were fighting with the car. »

« It’s a circuit that has a lot of grip, and it’s difficult in the fast corners because you take a lot of side Gs, so I’ll sleep well tonight. In Monaco it will be another different challenge, so we We’ll see what we can do there. »