The recent events at the Japanese Grand Prix have left the Alpine team in a state of turmoil. The two Alpine drivers, Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly, found themselves in a heated situation that has drawn criticism from the team’s interim principal, Bruno Famin. Famin stated that the drivers are paid to serve the team’s interests rather than their own. Together, the Alpine drivers earn a total of $11,000,000 in wages from the French team. However, as reported by Motorsport, the team is very unhappy with the duo.
Gasly found himself in a baffling situation during the race’s final lap. Despite being on fresher tires and in a position to chase down cars ahead, he was instructed to let his teammate, Esteban Ocon, pass him.
This miscommunication left Gasly visibly frustrated and questioning the team’s decision. Gasly expressed his confusion and frustration over the last-minute team order. Despite his frustration, Gasly confirmed that he would discuss the matter internally with the team. He admitted to not understanding the team’s decision. Still, he respected it.
F1: Gasly: Alpine’s Ocon swap wasn’t discussed before Japan F1 race – https://t.co/v4rdQzzypS https://t.co/lxDwsm2S8M
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Famin: Alpine drivers are paid to serve the team’s interests
Alpine interim team boss Bruno Famin has criticized his drivers Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly for their role in the Japanese Grand Prix. He insisted that the drivers are supposed to focus on the team’s interests, especially considering the stage they are in at the moment.
Talking about this, he said as per Motorsport, “Our drivers are paid to serve team interest, not their self interests.”
However, Famin also emphasized that he believes the issues among drivers are more due to abuse than a lack of team chemistry. He wants to put the incident behind him and focus on improving communication within the team.
Famin insists that teamwork is the top priority for the team
Famin says he doesn’t know when Gasly asked Esteban Ocon to give him a pass, but sometimes there can be communication problems due to poor radio reception or because the driver was distracted. The team boss adds that they need to ensure that the driver receives the information correctly, but the decision to grant Ocon a license was in the best interests of the team and was agreed by both drivers.
Famin also downplayed Gasly’s public outburst, saying that it was “no more than what the other guys” on the grid would do after a disappointing race. He added that both drivers are fighters and that they will follow team orders in the future.
Overall, Famin’s message is that teamwork is paramount to Alpine and any personal frustrations must be put aside for the sake of the team.
