(Motorsport-Total.com) – For Esteban Ocon, his podium in Brazil 2024 was the perfect farewell from Alpine. “It was a good conclusion to my time at Alpine,” explains the Haas driver in a YouTube video on the official Formula 1 channel.
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In the chaotic rain race at Interlagos, Ocon and teammate Pierre Gasly were able to sneak onto the podium completely unexpectedly. The following year, the path of the now 29-year-old led towards Haas, while Gasly still drives for the team from Enstone today.
“There was no better way to say goodbye,” said Ocon. “Pierre and I have experienced a lot together in the world of motorsport. Sure, it’s not a win, but a shared podium.”
Rivalry at Alpine
The rivalry between the two is no secret in the paddock. After all, Ocon and Gasly have known each other since childhood. Back then, the two were still good friends on and off the kart track, but since then the two Frenchmen have drifted apart.
There have also been one or two tête-à-têtes on the racetrack during their years at Team Enstone. Accordingly, their stint as teammates at Alpine was difficult. Ocon left the team one race before the end of the season, making the Brazilian Grand Prix his third-to-last appearance for the racing team.
He himself had been part of the team since 2021 and was able to win the Hungarian Grand Prix in his first season at Enstone. In 2023, Pierre Gasly joined after his chapter at AlphaTauri.
Rescue by rain
“It was especially special because we were probably in one of the slowest cars at the time,” Ocon continues. “The day before, I was 17th in dry conditions. Then it rained.”
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“We woke up at five in the morning and the weather was really changeable. I qualified in fourth position and was able to lead the race for 15 or 20 laps, which really came unexpectedly.”
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Nevertheless, Verstappen passed Ocon and was able to win the Brazilian Grand Prix. Today, the Haas driver sums up: “The podium came so unexpectedly that I didn’t really fight for the win. I might regret that a little. I only had one chance at the podium that year, and I didn’t want to throw the car away.”
“But if I had been able to fight for the podium more often that year, I would have resisted Max more. After all, there was a chance for a win.”
“In the end, I was happy with second place. But deep down it felt incomplete. There was more to come, but it was still a great result and it was good that we both stood on the podium.”
At Haas, Ocon has to contend with Oliver Bearman. In 2025, the direct duel between the two went in favor of the Brit. In the current standings, Bearman is in eighth place, while Ocon is in 16th.
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