A Formula 1 race is full of tension as a result of each driver’s ambition to achieve the best possible finishing position. For this reason, through the only possible way that engineers can communicate with them, through radios, situations can become somewhat controversial, depending on the circumstances they go through.
This is what happened with Fernando Alonso and Alpine at the 2022 Belgian Grand Prix, where the Spaniard was running in sixth position, but his teammate, Esteban Ocon, was approaching with a pace that threatened his place. It must be taken into account that the expressions and the tone used by the radio when going at more than 300 km/h without knowing what one can find in front of it can sound very aggressive in front of the public, as Carlos Sainz acknowledged in an interview with DAZN F1 , and it is possible that is what happened to his compatriot.
On lap 38 , just six to see the checkered flag, the two-time world champion was running sixth on 12-lap hard tyres, while Ocon was enjoying 5-lap medium tires six seconds behind, having overtaken Sebastian Vettel and Pierre Gasly in a maneuver that recalled that of Mika Hakkinen with Michael Schumacher in the year 2000.
It was at that moment when from the pit wall they indicated the gap he had with respect to his partner, to which he replied: “Yes, yes, okay. Let me know if you want me to let [Ocon] pass.”
“After all that phantom threat I’ve had the whole race, now I get it,” he exclaimed to his track engineer before being reminded of his target lap to finish.
That tense moment probably came from the nervousness that comes from competing at top speed in a Formula 1 single-seater, although it leaves doubts about Alpine’s treatment of its driver, since, as confirmed during the summer break, Fernando Alonso will leave to those of Enstone to start a new project with Aston Martin from 2023.
In addition, the boss of the French team acknowledged that they now focus on Esteban Ocon as their first driver, since that is what the statements he made when asked about what would happen with the second seat in Alpine.
“Esteban is a great talent, he can lead the team, and I am sure he will do better every time. He already has a victory, and this year he has also scored good points with us,” said the American. “Next season he will have learned even more.”
During the race itself, the man from Oviedo seems to have asked several times about what the objective was, in reference to the times per lap, and although at one specific moment he did not receive an answer, they did inform his driver in the 44 laps at Spa-Francorchamps .
At the end of the test, in the fragments that Formula 1 itself provided on its YouTube channel, the team was only heard on the radio congratulating the Spanish for the good joint result they obtained.
“Checkered flag, sorry for how hard it has been. You have managed it brilliantly, you have maximized the points today, thank you,” said his engineer while no reply could be seen because they cut off communication.
Everything could be a misunderstanding, since it is obvious that the teams intend to add the maximum number of points in each race to finish in the highest position in the constructors’ classification, which grants a greater economic prize, although seeing that letting pass Ocon would have garnered a sixth and seventh place in the same way, the sea of doubts opens about the storm that has plagued Alpine since the announcement of Fernando Alonso’s departure.
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