27-y/o F1 driver admits team have ‘a lot’ of issues they don’t understand

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Esteban Ocon admits that there are ‘a lot of small things’ that are not working with the Alpine A524 car for 2024 but the Formula 1 team do not understand all of its problems.

The Renault-owned outfit have started 2024 with almost their worst-case scenario after two difficult rounds. Alpine sit last in the constructors’ championship ahead of the Australian GP this week. Ocon also only ranks 17th in the drivers standings’ with Pierre Gasly 21st and last.

Ocon ranks above RB talent Yuki Tsunoda, Williams driver Logan Sargeant and Valtteri Bottas of Sauber thanks to his Saudi Arabian GP. The 27-year-old ended the Jeddah race in P13 for his best result of the season so far. He had finished the Bahrain GP in P17, with Gasly in P18.

Esteban Ocon admits Alpine do not fully understand their problems

Gasly could not follow Ocon up the order in Saudi Arabia after a gearbox problem ended his race on Lap 1. The 29-year-old had qualified in P18, right behind Ocon in P17. Gasly also set the slowest time during qualifying in Sakhir, behind his French compatriot teammate in P19.

Even pre-season testing highlighted Alpine’s plight as Ocon and Gasly got to grips with their new car. Their A524 is overweight and also lacks downforce, leading technical director Matt Harman and head of aerodynamics Dirk de Beer to both resign before even the Bahrain GP.

Alpine reacted to their alarming problems by naming Joe Burnell as their technical director of engineering with David Wheater now their technical director of aerodynamics plus Ciaron Pilbeam as their technical director of performance. But Alpine face a long road to recovery.

Esteban Ocon believes the A524 has ‘a lot’ of ‘small’ problems

Two rounds down and Ocon also admits ahead of the Australian GP that Alpine do not fully understand their many issues. The 2021 Hungarian GP winner believes the A524 has ‘a lot’ of minor issues that add up to be the slowest car in qualifying in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.

“We know where we are,” Ocon said in the pre-event press conference. “It’s not a situation we are enjoying as a team. But it’s a long season, we are working towards trying to optimise the car, understand where the issues are and turn things around.

“There are a lot of small things not working as they should. And the field is so tight [that] small things make a difference. The field is so compact from P1 to where we are.”

Only Sargeant posted a slower lap time in qualifying for the Saudi Arabian GP than Ocon or Gasly achieved for Alpine. But the 23-year-old’s teammate Alex Albon sealed Williams 12th in Q2. Sauber driver Zhou Guanyu did not post a lap time after crashing heavily during FP3.