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GASLY Pierre fra, Alpine F1 Team A523, portrait OCON Esteban fra, Alpine F1 Team A523, portrait during the Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix 2023, 1st round of the 2023 FIA Formula One World Championship, WM, Weltmeisterschaft from March 2 to 5, 2023 on the Bahrain International Circuit, in Sakhir, Bahrain – F1 – BAHRAIN GRAND PRIX 2023 – RACE DPPI/Panoramic PUBLICATIONxNOTxINxFRAxITAxBEL 03323001__R3_0374
![](https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/imago1025217536h.jpg?width=600)
via Imago
GASLY Pierre fra, Alpine F1 Team A523, portrait OCON Esteban fra, Alpine F1 Team A523, portrait during the Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix 2023, 1st round of the 2023 FIA Formula One World Championship, WM, Weltmeisterschaft from March 2 to 5, 2023 on the Bahrain International Circuit, in Sakhir, Bahrain – F1 – BAHRAIN GRAND PRIX 2023 – RACE DPPI/Panoramic PUBLICATIONxNOTxINxFRAxITAxBEL 03323001__R3_0374
It’s not been easy for Esteban Ocon, to make it to Formula 1. Not being endowed with a rich background, the French driver slogged his way to the top. Naturally, now that he is here, he has that extra bit of punch in his driving. Arguably, however, that hasn’t always gone down too well with his teammates and rivals. With Pierre Gasly, Ocon shares a public teenage grudge. Safe to say, this pairing can be one of the most combustible this sport has ever seen.
Last year, Fernando Alonso was on the receiving end of Ocon’s aggression on multiple occasions. With it all culminating at the Brazilian Grand Prix, Alonso blasted the Frenchman by saying, “I don’t need [to talk to Ocon]. It’s one more race and then it’s over, finally. I was very close to the wall in Jeddah, close to the wall in Budapest, today in Turn 4 and now here. It’s the way things are, sometimes it’s very competitive inside the team. It happened to him with [Sergio] Perez [at Force India], with [Max] Verstappen unlapping himself [in Brazil, 2018].”
Pierre Gasly dispels Fernando Alonso accusations
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You’d have expected Gasly to concur with Alonso, given his history with Ocon. However, surprisingly, the Frenchman has given the past up. In a recent interview, Gasly publicly chose to defend Ocon with a tilted jab at Alonso’s accusations from last year.
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OCON Esteban fra, Alpine F1 Team A522, portrait GASLY Pierre fra, Scuderia AlphaTauri AT03, portrait during the Formula 1 Aramco United States Grand Prix 2022, 19th round of the 2022 FIA Formula One World Championship, WM, Weltmeisterschaft from October 21 to 23, 2022 on the Circuit of the Americas, in Austin, Texas – F1 – UNITED STATES GRAND PRIX 2022 DPPI/Panoramic PUBLICATIONxNOTxINxFRAxITAxBEL 00122043__R3_1910
He said, “We’ve known each other since we were 9 years old, now 18. Obviously we know each other very well and we have our ups and downs, everyone knows that. During this season we have both gone forward,” to Mundo Deportivo. Gasly then went on to suggest that maybe Alonso was the problem.
“I want the best for the team and to be the best, I same for him. So far it’s been very easy to work with him.” [translated via Google Translate]
Gasly and Ocon seem to actually operate as a team. A testament to this is the Monaco GP weekend.
Gasly rejoices in Esteban Ocon and his Monaco glory
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While Gasly finished seventh overall, his teammate clinched a historic podium for Alpine in Monaco. What’s more? Rather than sulking in the aftermath, Gasly seems to have enjoyed his teammate’s podium for a very important reason.
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GASLY Pierre fra, Alpine F1 Team A523, portrait OCON Esteban fra, Alpine F1 Team A523, portrait during the Formula 1 Rolex Australian Grand Prix 2023, 3rd round of the 2023 Formula One World Championship, WM, Weltmeisterschaft from March 31 to April 2, 2023 on the Albert Park Circuit, in Melbourne, Australia – F1 – AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX 2023 DPPI/Panoramic PUBLICATIONxNOTxINxFRAxITAxBEL 00122006_F12023GP03AUS_JK259778
When quizzed about it, he said, “Monaco was the best weekend of the year. It is important to know why the car was so good. After that GP there are many more smiles in the garage. The mood and mind is very positive and it is important to maintain that. I am very happy for the team because it hasn’t been the best start to the year for all of us.”
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Watch this Story | Despite Recent $1 Million Loss, Neymar Jr Spotted Gambling at the 2023 Monaco GP
Can Gasly and Ocon make Alpine a championship winning outfit?
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