Formula 1 | Alpine F1: two points torn from the fighting spirit in Mexico

Laurent Rossi, CEO of Alpine F1, wanted to salute the two points snatched by Fernando Alonso in Mexico. An uninspiring result, but positive after a qualifying session which had turned into a fiasco.

Alonso had indeed been eliminated in Q1, while Esteban Ocon was condemned to start from the back of the grid. The Spaniard snatched ninth place after a strategically well-run race.

« To be back in the points today after our difficult qualifying yesterday shows the fighting spirit of this team » Rossi says. « It was important to get back into the top ten after Austin’s frustration. »

« It was not an easy race, far from it, with Fernando starting in the middle of the peloton and Esteban at the back of the grid after his engine penalty. Fernando played a bit of bad luck at the start by having to avoid Bottas, but he then had a clean and serious race to open the points door. « 

A good pace but a collision for Ocon

Ocon almost saw his race end in the first corner, hitting Yuki Tsunoda and Mick Schumacher, but he ended up out of the top 10: « Esteban also had a rough start, being sandwiched between two single-seaters at the first corner. »

« Like Fernando, he posted a good pace and drew on his resources to finish thirteenth. Of course, scoring two points with one car is not our goal, but it is a result that we can. meet after yesterday’s qualifications. « 

Alpine still saves its fifth place against AlphaTauri, but Rossi wants to do better in Brazil next weekend: « It also gives us additional motivation for the next weekend in Brazil, where we will return to more conventional conditions. »

« We are now tied in our battle with AlphaTauri for fifth place, so we need to keep up our hard work and stay fully engaged to stay in the lead. »