The weekend kicked off at the Circuit of the Americas, with the team eager to showcase their new upgrades. With the competitive midfield battle in mind, the team was determined to make every bit of data count, setting the stage for the weekend ahead.
Ocon completed a promising morning session in Free Practice 1, stating, “We did a solid morning’s work in Free Practice 1 to prepare for Sprint Qualifying.” He acknowledged a need for more pace but remained optimistic about the Sprint race, noting, “There are usually opportunities in Sprint races, so we will do our best to capitalise on those.”
Gasly echoed Ocon’s sentiments, emphasising the importance of understanding their new package. “It’s the first time with our new upgrades,” he said, highlighting the team's focus. He recognised the challenge of starting in the midfield but maintained a positive outlook: “We will always give it our best as you never know what can happen in racing.”
The Sprint race brought mixed results for Alpine. Ocon had a decent outing, saying, "I had fun and some good overtakes," but he finished 13th and noted the car's lack of pace. However, he added, "On a positive side, we can see that the upgrades brought here this weekend seem to be working," keeping his optimism heading into Qualifying.
In Qualifying, Gasly excelled, securing seventh, later promoted to sixth due to George Russell's pit lane demotion. “It has been a while since we reached Q3,” he remarked, feeling confident about scoring points in the race after adjustments to the car.
Ocon, narrowly missing Q3, was pleased with the improvements. “The car was more competitive... starting in front of some of the cars we battled with in the Sprint is a good sign for the main race,” he said.
Oliver Oakes, Team Principal, praised the team's hard work, highlighting their joint best Qualifying result of the season, “The team did a great job to improve the car and find performance between sessions."
Race day proved challenging for Alpine, particularly as they fought to maintain their position in the constructors' championship against Williams. Gasly started strong from sixth but faced difficulties with the hard compound tyre. His race took a hit after receiving a five-second penalty for an off-track manoeuvre while overtaking Alex Albon, which added to his frustrations.
Ocon’s day was even more challenging. A first-lap incident saw him hit from behind by Albon, which sent him spinning into the gravel. “Unfortunately, today my race was compromised by Turn 1,” Ocon lamented, explaining how the spin left him at the back of the field. From there, he managed to recover a few positions but was limited by his car’s pace. The decision to pit late in the race for soft tires allowed him to set the fastest lap of the race. Despite not scoring points, Ocon’s fastest lap denied Williams driver Franco Colapinto a chance to extend their lead in the constructors' championship.
Gasly finished the race in 12th place. “It’s been a frustrating afternoon where we did not fully extract the maximum potential,” he reflected post-race. “We could have managed our race better, which is something we will review for next time.”
With their upgrades showing promise in Qualifying but not translating to race success, the team must regroup and address their strategies. Oakes noted, “We struggled in the second stint and need to analyse that.”
With a tight race for points in the constructors' championship against Williams, every upcoming race is crucial. The next event in Mexico City presents another opportunity for Alpine to leverage their improvements and vie for vital points. Ocon remains hopeful: “I look forward to the team continuing to work in this direction and improve the car. Next up is Mexico City, and hopefully, we can be in a better position to be in contention for points.”
