Towards an explosive end to the season at Alpine ?

It's not a legend, it's better to have Fernando Alonso with himself than against himself... except perhaps when he no longer has any valid reason to play the team's game. ask to McLaren – which he had turned upside down before running away – they know something about it. The Taurus of Asturias can be as unifying as it is destructive, depending on its situation, the context, and its desire, above all. 

Alpine, since his return at the start of 2020, has dealt only with the professional Fernando, gang leader and inveterate leader, even capable of doing everything possible to make his teammate shine Esteban Ocon in Hungary (victory in 2021) by retaining Lewis Hamilton. His podium finish in Qatar and his overall competitiveness, especially on one tour, show that even at 41, “Nando” has no plans to stop anytime soon. 

What an end to the season between Fernando Alonso and Alpine ? © DPPI

At Alpine, he negotiated an extension, but wanted more than one year and a salary that matched his aura. He didn't get it, or at least, Aston Martin struck first and finally enlisted him once he retired Sebastian Vettel ratified. So, what are the consequences for the end of the French team's season? Alonso will have nothing to lose, and it wouldn't be surprising to see him play his personal card and enjoy the strong position he finds himself in.

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Moreover, the climate has already become a little tense between Esteban Ocon and him in Budapest. Fernando in fact criticized the Frenchman for having blocked him against the wall at the start of the Hungarian Grand Prix on Sunday. “What Esteban did to me, no one has ever done it to me in my career” he slipped. In the mixed zone, when asked to react to the incident, he preferred to abstain to remain courteous. “I will not comment on this”.

Already in Saudi Arabia, Ocon and Alonso had battled it out on the track. © Antonin Vincent / DPPI

His departure is surely excellent news for McLaren, the direct opponent ofAlpine for fourth position in the championship. Andreas Seidl's troops have already been able to benefit from internal dissensions within A Arrow. On the 21st lap of the Grand Prix on Sunday, while Ocon came out of the pit lane with cold tires, the Frenchman emerged just in front of Alonso and preferred to maintain his position, even if it meant sticking out his elbows and blocking his teammate. Consequently, Daniel Ricciardo, who was hanging around there, took advantage of the situation to take the scalps of the two pilots Alpine at the same time in turn 2. Nothing better to give confidence to the direct competition! 

Alpine finally scored as many points as McLaren (6) in Hungary thanks to Daniel Ricciardo's error (the Australian hit Stroll), which surely cost him the points. But it had the merit of giving us a glimpse of what the end of the track season could look like at Alpine…Laurent Red and Otmar Szafnauer may have to work to maintain at least a semblance of cohesion. To see if the good natural relationship between the two drivers will help or not.

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