Esteban Ocon believes that Alpine must remain humble and realistic with its new concept

Alpine is starting anew. During the inauguration of the A524, the French team announced that the race car was completely different from the 2023 model. And for good reason, only the steering wheel was preserved. Alpine’s technical director explained the aggressive approach that his team has chosen.

“We have decided to adopt a very bold approach since Bruno Famin stated that it is a completely new car from front to back,” explained Matt Harman. “We really tried to examine every aspect of the car to make sure we don’t overlook anything, and we are giving ourselves a car that can have potential throughout the year. In 2023, we have somewhat stagnated.”

2023, a year of transition

The 2023 season of Alpine has been very challenging. The French team had to part ways with Fernando Alonso, a highly experienced and historic driver of the team. However, the arrival of Pierre Gasly was still very beneficial, even though he was not familiar with all the intricacies. On the non-sports side, Alpine witnessed numerous reorganizations. And for good reason, Otmar Szafnauer, team principal, was pushed out in favor of Bruno Famin.

On track, 2023 was also very challenging. Difficulties were noticed from the pre-season tests. The A523 was severely lacking in top speed and the drivers complained about the lack of driving comfort. Optimization was also not up to par. As a result, Alpine, who had finished with a solid 4th place in the constructor standings in 2022, was relegated to 6th place in 2023.

A better optimization aimed

Disappointed with this season, Alpine has opted for major changes. The management has been renewed, new positions have been filled, and the car has been completely reworked. In this context of a new concept, Esteban Ocon has called for patience.

“I don’t know where we will be starting from and it doesn’t matter exactly where we start,” the Normand explained at the car’s inauguration. “What matters is where we will be midway through the season. I hope we will start near the front, but we must be humble and realistic. It’s a new concept. There is a chance that it won’t go too well at the beginning, but progression and improvement are what we need.”

The drivers will have to adapt their driving style. In 2023, the two Frenchmen conformed to the constraints of the A523. For this new season, the goal is for Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly to make the most of their qualities and the race car.

“There will be aspects of the car that we will be able to use more and rely on to obtain performances,” added the winner of the 2021 Hungarian Grand Prix. “It’s always a compromise in motorsport on where you win and where you lose. You try not to lose too much, but you still lose in some areas. And if there is a place where the car is strong, you have to use it.”

In 2023, Pierre Gasly had finished just ahead of Esteban Ocon in the driver standings.