“Means the Whole World”: Esteban Ocon Gets Emotional After Alpine’s Rebirth at Las Vegas GP

In a sensational turnaround at the Las Vegas Grand Prix, the stellar performance from Esteban Ocon brought Alpine back into the limelight. It marked a significant turnaround for the team. The Frenchman’s emotional reflections on the F1 Nation podcast captured the essence of Alpine’s resurgence after a challenging series of races.

Esteban Ocon emerged as the unsung hero at the rollercoaster race that saw the Frenchman defy the odds. He stormed from 16th on the grid to a triumphant 4th-place finish in the end. His journey mirrored the struggles of the team, bringing forth a moment of redemption. One of the highlights of the race was when the 27-year-old Frenchman pulled off a daring overtake on his teammate Pierre Gasly.

Esteban Ocon opened up on what the Las Vegas GP result meant for Alpine

Alpine, grappling with an indifferent run of form, found their silver lining in Esteban Ocon’s stellar performance. The French driver’s ascent to a 4th place finish was a masterclass in strategic racing. The Frenchman’s aggressive yet calculated approach on the opening lap, navigating Turn 1 chaos, laid the foundation for a race that would redefine Alpine’s narrative.

“Feeling alive again,” Esteban Ocon expressed on the F1 Nation podcast when asked about his emotions after the Las Vegas GP. “It’s been a tough 6 races I would say. You know, a lot of things went wrong for us. [A] lot of incidents and lot of points left on the table, you know, with DNFs and all sorts of things. Since Singapore, really, we didn’t seem to catch a break.

“And you know, yesterday was a difficult moment to swallow because we knew we had the pace to do something good, and something more on top is coming.”

 “But yeah, never give up, really,” he added. “That’s probably the sentence of this last couple of weeks. We kept believing in our work and what we were doing. Believing is the right thing that we are doing and that things are gonna come to us. And the planets did align today and finally, we got the result that we deserved. It means the world to the team because it’s our best result in a long, long time.“

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Alpine’s Las Vegas Grand Prix was indeed extraordinary. The team executed a strategic plan that saw Esteban Ocon maneuvering brilliantly, overtaking his French teammate Pierre Gasly in the closing stages of the race. Ocon’s move on Pierre Gasly, despite team orders to hold position, added an extra layer of drama to the already thrilling race.

Esteban Ocon explains why he seemingly didn’t follow team orders to hold position behind Gasly

As the race unfolded, the two Alpine Frenchmen found themselves in a duel for P5 on lap 34, challenging the team’s directive to hold positions. The showdown between the teammates provided a spectacle for fans.

After the race, Ocon clarified his actions, as he did post their Australian GP crash in April. According to F1Maximaal, Ocon stated, “It was a good fight. I think Pierre was driving on older tires at that time. I was told to hold positions, but all I heard was: position. In fact, I started playing catch-up the moment I was told. If the team had asked me to give the position back, I would, of course, have done so immediately.”

Ocon’s interpretation of the team orders suggested a miscommunication, emphasizing his commitment to following directives while hinting at the urgency he felt during the battle. Pierre Gasly, acknowledging Ocon’s speed on fresher tires, revealed the tire management challenge he faced. “I wanted to make a pit stop, but the team didn’t want that. Back then, it was all about survival. It was impossible with all the graining,” he explained.

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The unpredictability of Formula 1 never fails to amaze. And as the season comes to a close, we can expect more of the same in the upcoming season.