"Hopefully, what they say is true" - Alpine boss believes Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon are friends

Alpine boss Otmar Szafnauer said that he is hopeful Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon will become compatible teammates for the upcoming season. Gasly moved from AlphaTauri to Alpine after the season ended. He will team up with Esteban Ocon, filling the vacancy left by Fernando Alonso, who moved to Aston Martin for the 2023 season. Gasly and Ocon, close friends who turned bitter rivals, will have to work on a collective goal.

Esteban Ocon and Gasly's feud date back to their karting days. Initially, they were pretty close, frequently engaging in healthy competition. However, their relationship soured after they joined F1. In a twist of fate, both drivers hail from Normandy, France. They also have very similar records in terms of starts, wins, finishes, and podiums.

The two Frenchmen, however, have committed to ending the feud as they head into the 2023 season as teammates. Both drivers have a lot at stake, especially Gasly, as he would be required to prove his mettle for the new seat. Filling Alonso's shoes won't be easy, either. But Szafnauer is open to giving both drivers a fair chance. While talking to RacingNews365.com, he said:

"Hopefully, what they say is true, and I believe it is. I've talked to both of them, and they both say the same thing. I've talked to Esteban more than Pierre, as I know [him] more, and I asked him: 'Do you think this is an opportunity to rekindle your friendship?' He said: 'Yeah, never say never, let's see what happens', so he is definitely open to it. I didn't ask that same question to Pierre, but once they are friends again, or are working together professionally, that fit becomes no different than any other two drivers."

Esteban Ocon, over the years, has gained a reputation for having a somewhat impulsive temperament. He has had difficulty with his teammates, with notable run-ins with Sergio Perez at Force India and Fernando Alonso last season. Szafanuer has recognized this but believes Esteban Ocon has matured. He said,

"He's definitely more mature and he's got a better understanding. The thing that really pleases me about Esteban is that, under pressure, he often does not make mistakes. I saw it when he won against [Sebastian] Vettel in [Budapest 2021]."

He added:

"We (Szafnauer was then at Aston Martin) had a faster car, and he did not make a mistake. It was even more impressive for me in wet conditions drying in Suzuka, which is not an easy track. To have Lewis [Hamilton] behind you in a quicker car and you finish ahead of him."

Szafanuer continued by saying:

"He is fast, but can he make improvements? Yes, we will work out how to get better. He needs to probably make better judgments when his teammates are next to him. You don't win it on the first lap, teammate or not. If you're aggressive against a competitor, you both go out and you both lose. You're aggressive against a teammate and you both go out, guess who loses? So it is just that better judgement [he needs to work on]; you can get him later."

The two drivers have to be prepared for the 2023 season. However, their talent cannot be questioned because they have proven their worth on the track. One thing is for sure. All eyes will be on Alpine and these two drivers next season.

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Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon have high praise for Alpine

Gasly quickly moved to Alpine after the 2022 season ended. He went onto the Abu Dhabi circuit to test the new Pirelli tires that will feature in the upcoming season. During his first interactions with the Alpine crew, he noticed a drastic difference in car performance and team philosophy.

Speaking to the media, Gasly explained how he could spot the car's strengths and how the team was able to finish fourth in the constructors' standings. He said:

"I've done only a day in Abu Dhabi, but I can definitely spot some very good strengths in this car, and the potential that it has. They finished fourth in the championship for a reason, and now I understand this reason, not just from the package but with how the team operates. The engineers in the team, the mindset, and the philosophy that there is in the team, so far I've been very pleased with these first interactions with the guys."

Esteban Ocon also praised his team. He said:

"We clearly developed the car well, gave good feedback early on for the team to develop the car, and they managed to translate that. By mid-year, we clearly stepped up as a team, made some strong performances after that, where we get fifth place quite often – fifth place is obviously big points – and qualify fifth quite a few times as well."

Alpine hopes to rank higher in the constructor's championship next season. While engineers are working on developing a faster car, the bulk of the burden falls on Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly on a mission to prove they can still be amicable colleagues, if not friends.