At the Monaco Grand Prix, Esteban Ocon finished third to give Alpine their first podium of the season. Before the stage in Barcelona, team leader Otmar Szafnauer commented on the result and gave a prediction for the next race.
Q: How is the mood in the team after Esteban’s sensational podium and Pierre Gasly’s good performance?
Otmar Safnauer: There’s always a special feeling when you get a podium in Formula 1, and there’s no better place to do that than in Monaco, given the race’s history and prestige. Everyone in the team and Esteban are in a fantastic mood and I’m very happy for him.
Esteban proved time and time again that he knows how to work and deliver results under intense pressure. He earned the podium after a flawless performance all weekend.
Pierre also drove brilliantly all weekend, helping to bolster the team’s result and earn 21 points. I congratulate everyone at Enstone and Weary bases for their hard work and contribution to this achievement. I would also like to congratulate our Academy member Gabriele Mini on a great weekend in Formula 3 – he took pole and won Sunday’s race.
Q: How will such a result affect team morale?
Otmar Safnauer: We enjoyed this result, which showed what the team is capable of. In recent weeks we have brought new items that have worked well. In Spain, on a fixed circuit different from Miami and Monaco, we will continue to evaluate them. The team is working hard to replicate such results, but we remain realistic.
It is necessary to keep refining the car, to spend weekends flawlessly and to ensure that the racers are performing at the highest level. Now all focus is on preparation for the Spanish Grand Prix – we look forward to another good result.
Question: What do you expect in Spain?
Otmar Safnauer: We all know the circuit in Barcelona very well, having done many pre-season tests on it. There are elevation changes and turns of different types. I expect another successful performance, but we need to work productively on Friday to evaluate the new items and understand how to get the most out of our A523.
It will be great to repeat the Monaco result, we know that in Spain there will be completely different tests. Ahead of a new race weekend and new opportunities. We will concentrate on the daily work and see what result we achieve on Sunday.
Source: F1 News
I am Christopher Clyde, an experienced journalist and content writer with a passion for sports. I have been writing about Formula 1 news for the past five years and am currently employed as an author at athletistic.com, one of the top sports websites in the US.
