Even Guenther Steiner Wouldn’t Lash Out On Esteban Ocon Like Alpine Did

Following the Monaco GP weekend, rumors of Alpine considering sidelining Esteban Ocon for a race emerged because of his actions which put the team’s race in jeopardy. With many labeling this possibility as harsh, former Haas team principal Guenther Steiner proposes a solution for the Enstone-based outfit.

An “armchair team principal” today, Steiner shared his thoughts about the same on the Red Flags podcast. He feels that the French driver will be completely demoralized if Alpine does bench him. It is too early for them to make such a big decision.

Instead, he feels that there should be an intervention where Ocon should be given a warning. “Either you go with this, or next time you are out,” Steiner suggests.

Handing over a penalty or removing Ocon will only make the latter more upset. It will also give rise to a ‘blame culture’ within the team, which isn’t good for internal harmony. Instead, Alpine needs to sit down and talk to both of its drivers.

On the other hand, Ocon’s reputation of being a team player has been taking a massive hit as of late. For Alpine, a team that is going through massive change at the moment, this is not ideal.

Guenther Steiner on Esteban Ocon’s antics

Guenther Steiner details how Ocon not being 100% committed to the team’s success could become a cause of concern for the bosses. Alpine in particular, needs both of its drivers to work together for a better chance at scoring points.

Steiner doesn’t expect drivers to be ‘best friends’ with each other. However, he does want respect on the track to play a major role during races.

If the rapport between Ocon and Gasly continues to be an issue, teams will look for alternatives. In the past, certain bosses have added clauses to drivers’ contracts that prevent them from fighting one another. However, talking about Ocon’s incident in particular, Steiner feels Alpine should take a stricter approach.

Putting himself in Alpine boss Bruno Famin’s shoes, Steiner admits that he would seek a fresh start. He would look to change his drivers’ lineup and look for alternatives who would lead the team towards success.