6 Weeks After Startling Revelation, Pierre Gasly Bluntly Shuts Questions Around Feud With Esteban Ocon

Do you recall this year’s Australian GP? The 2023 season has been full of ups and downs for the Alpine team with highs like the Monaco podium, the multi-million dollar investment, and getting as low as Otmar Szafnauer’s resignation from the team. Another potential low moment was when Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon collided at the Australian GP. Pierre Gasly has now come out to shut down the feud rumors once and for all. But it’s not the kind gentle way that one expects. 

Both Alpines were running in points at the Australian GP and ended up taking each other out at the very end of the race. Ever since there have been rumors of a feud between the Alpine drivers. The fact that both Gasly and Ocon are fighting for survival in the cutthroat world of F1 made the rumors even bigger. Both the Frenchmen were portrayed as being pitched against each other. However, Pierre Gasly clarified the same. 

About 6 weeks ago, Pierre Gasly during the Beyond the Grid podcasts opened up about his relationship with Ocon. He explained how he was a little concerned about coming to Alpine as he and Ocon had very different personalities. Gasly continued and explained how he doesn’t really have a personal relationship with Ocon but the formal relationship is all he could ask for from his teammate. The tone of the comments did suggest somewhat of a feud between the two even though it was clear that Gasly has nothing personal against Ocon. 

Pierre Gasly has now come out to shut down these rumors for once and for all. However, the tone and the relationship status remain the same. According to AMUS, Pierre Gasly said, “On a personal level there is no relationship between us. But I don’t need that either. What I need is an Esteban who will work as hard as possible for the team. That’s enough for me. I want to beat everyone. My focus is not on him. If I beat everyone, I’ll beat him too. In order to do that, I have to concentrate fully on myself and not on this duel.”

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The comments suggest how Gasly doesn’t have any feud with Ocon but it’s just the situation that he is in his career, fighting for survival in F1 with hopes of becoming a champion one day. His teammate is just one of 19 drivers that Gasly has to beat. If that’s the Scenario, was Gasly the same with former teammate Yuki Tsunoda?

Pierre Gasly on the difference between relationship with Yuki Tsunoda and Esteban Ocon

Pierre Gasly’s career hasn’t been what the Frenchman would’ve expected. Being a part of the Red Bull family, Gasly would’ve expected to race for the Senior team. In 2019, the Frenchman got a chance at the same but was demoted back to the Junior team midway through the season after an underwhelming first half. Ever since Gasly was stuck at AlphaTauri and recently got the oppressed to move to Alpine. While the pressure wasn’t really there at a smaller team like AlphaTauri, it is immense at a works team like Alpine. 

Pierre Gasly while talking about the difference in the relationship between Yuki Tsunoda and Esteban Ocon said, “[The relationship with Esteban] is very different to what I had with Yuki. My relationship with Yuki, in the way that he came to F1, and how I was supporting and trying to help. It was a very genuine and healthy relationship.”

Coming to Ocon he added, “Now with Esteban, we’re both fighting for our careers. We both want to make it to the top. We both want to be leaders of the team. I accept that and actually embrace the challenge. I embrace the competition because, at the end of the day, Esteban is a very fast and very talented driver. He’s proven that. That’s what you need as a teammate, someone that’s going to be pushing you, someone that’s going to be pushing the team.”

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