Gasly, who had been running in ninth towards the end of the race, was given the green light to pass Ocon earlier in the race. His mission was to leverage his fresher hard tyres to chase down Fernando Alonso's Aston Martin for the eighth position. However, when it became clear that he was unable to do so, Alpine asked him to let Ocon through on the final lap.
Gasly complied, but his onboard camera captured his visible frustration as he waved his hands in the cockpit. Post-race, Gasly expressed his confusion over the team's decision, stating, “Just a bit frustrated, because we need to swap positions in the last lap. I don’t fully understand it, I don’t really see the need, but we will talk internally.”
A switch of positions left Pierre Gasly feeling frustrated despite Alpine's double points finish at Suzuka#F1 #JapaneseGP pic.twitter.com/Qq2boi5tpx
— Formula 1 (@F1) September 25, 2023
Ocon's Perspective
In response to Gasly's frustrations, Ocon explained that the rule at Alpine has always been the same. If a driver is given the position but fails to overtake the car in front, they must switch back before the end. This rule has been applied consistently, whether with Daniel Ricciardo, Fernando Alonso, or himself.
Ocon stated, “I always prefer to fight on track, more a bit of an old school way. But I understand the team’s point of view, which is to try and get some more points ahead. I think today we maximised what was on the table, and we can be proud of ourselves for the good teamwork.”
Alpine's Second Double Points Finish
Despite the controversy, the race ended with Ocon in ninth and Gasly in 10th place, marking Alpine’s second double points finish in the last nine races. Gasly, who started from 12th on the grid, insisted that the result was reflective of where Alpine are at the moment.
Ocon, who started from 14th on the grid and had to pit early due to a collision, believed that ninth place was the maximum the A523 could have achieved in Japan. He said, “We managed to get back into the top 10, keep the track position and finish with both cars in the points, which is very solid, and I think we clearly maximised the potential.”
A Lesson in Teamwork and Strategy
The Japanese Grand Prix served as a reminder of the importance of teamwork and strategy in Formula 1. While Gasly's frustration is understandable, the team's decision was based on a long-standing rule designed to maximise points. As the season progresses, it will be interesting to see how Alpine continues to balance individual driver ambitions with team objectives.
