Alpine’s Absurd Move to Solve Pierre Gasly And Esteban Ocon’s Family Feud

Alpine has decided to go fully French in 2023. With a lineup of the two Frenchmen Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly driving under a French banner, what could go wrong? On the surface, nothing at all as it paints a perfect picture. But those who know Gasly and Ocon’s history will be quite nervous about this pairing.

When Pierre Gasly officially announced his move to the Alpine team in 2023, the F1 community had their doubts.

Alpine makes strange choices to mitigate Gasly-Ocon tension

Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon both grew up around Normandy. And both of them have known each other since their karting days. But their strong friendship soon turned into an equally intense rivalry as they clashed on the tracks.

Their frosty relationship has been an open secret since. So, one can’t help but be curious about their current situation as teammates.

However, Joe Saward shared some insight into it in his recent blog entitled “Green Notebook”.

“Alpine has taken the plunge with two French drivers who have not always got on in the past. Time will tell if this is wise but I am told that in an effort to keep friction to a minimum both drivers have been informed that they can have family at only two events a year, and that the two families cannot attend the same races,” wrote Saward.

With a history like theirs, managing the two drivers correctly is definitely crucial. And Alpine has not had the best track record of it.

READ MORE: Are Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon Friends?

But will this strategy minimize tensions successfully? Or, will it only serve to endorse to the drivers that they are meant to be opponents?

Esteban Ocon finally breaks his silence about his relationship with Pierre Gasly

However Alpine decides to manage Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon’s relationship, team principal Otmar Szafnauer seems optimistic about their chances.

“Esteban was very supportive, Pierre as well.” said Szafnauer, about Ocon’s reaction to the news. “They’re professionals. And they have no issue we’re working together. And hopefully, the friendship will rekindle – they were friends at one point. But from a professional perspective, they’re both very happy to work with each other.”

Pierre has been very vocal about his relationship with Esteban Ocon. He has spoken about their friendship—and their enmity—on podcasts and interviews. But on the other hand, Ocon has been just as silent.

But, when Gasly announced his move to Alpine, Ocon finally broke his silence.

“We are a lot more mature, a lot more responsible and at the end of the day we have a common target. We both want to be competitive, we both want to be fighting at the front. And we know to achieve that we have to work together for the team. I’m quite excited about it,” said Ocon.

“It’s an opportunity for both of us to get back to a similar relationship that we had in the past. What was the probability that two six-year-old kids from Normandy, France, living 20 minutes from each other, would end up 20 years later as team-mates in a French team? I think that is incredible and a very special story.”

WATCH THIS STORY: History of Esteban Ocon & Pierre Gasly’s Relationship

It is a very special story indeed, one that is moving fans to tears at this point. We can only hope that their friendship only blossoms, and not sours, in the future.