The Formula 1 circus heads to the Albert Park circuit this weekend, and Alpine has its mind set on the goals to be achieved.
Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon spoke about expectations for the circuit and the weekend ahead.
Gasly talked about the challenges given by dealing with very distinctively different circuits and how important it is to adapt to the circuit to get points straight away.
“Albert Park is a great circuit and another different challenge for us this year. We’ve seen how we are at a conventional circuit in Bahrain, a fast street circuit in Saudi Arabia, and now we will see how we are at Albert Park, which is different in characteristics.
“It’s a fun circuit, quite bumpy in places and we have to be immediately on it if we’re to come away with a satisfactory feeling and points on the board. Australia is a place where I’ve not scored as many points as I’d have liked in my Formula 1 career, so it’s time to put that right this weekend.
“I’ve had a busy week with some Alpine events, personal events and time at Enstone on the simulator. I really want to keep maximising every moment I spend with the team, and it was great to visit staff at the factory to hear from some people and learn more about some of the developments we have on the way. I must say, I’m excited by what I saw, and it was great to see everyone’s motivation to keep working and find the performance gains we need. I will do my part on track, and we will move forwards as a team.”
Both Gasly and Ocon were not shy in talking about the team’s hard work, both at the factory and at the circuit, and Ocon also marked on the importance of preparation in dealing with a complicated circuit like Australia’s.
“We’re focused on this weekend as we head back to Melbourne where we aim to have another double points team result.
“Australia is always a favourite for drivers and teams. Melbourne just has a special vibe when F1 is in town and the fans are so passionate. It’s well worth the long trip and the jet lag!
“The track itself is fun and the changes made last year I think really improved the circuit with better overtaking opportunities. It’s still a challenging track, both technically and physically, with a lot of changes of direction at low and high speeds.
“We know braking stability, kerb riding and car agility will be important to the set-up of the cars. It was good to have a week to recover and prepare, but I know the team is ready to go again and we can’t wait to start our weekend in Melbourne.”
Photo: @AlpineF1Team
