A double podium with a taste of feat for Alpine in Brazil: "Nobody had that in the predictions at the start of the season!"

Who would have thought, in this 2024 season so gloomy, so dark for Alpine, that the French team was going to score not one, but two podiums! Esteban Ocon et Pierre Gasly achieved a real feat this Sunday, finishing 2nd and 3rd respectively in the Brazilian Grand Prix. A resounding performance for a team that was more used to the back of the grid and the tail of the pack than to champagne this year! The team ofenstone also won his first double podium since the group's return. Renault en Formula 1In 2016.

WE DID IT!!!!!!!! 🏆🏆 pic.twitter.com/FjqBKlhqKD

—BWT Alpine Formula One Team (@AlpineF1Team) November 3, 2024

Cock-a-doodle-doo of course for our two French drivers, since we have to go back to the 1997 Spanish Grand Prix to see two French drivers on the same podium (Olivier Panis – Jean Alesi)! A double podium that is the result of an incredible strategic move for the French team: the two drivers stayed on the track as long as possible with intermediate tires, despite pouring rain, in the hope of a red flag… and the Gods of Formula 1 proved them right since the race was interrupted on the 33rd lap after Franco Colapinto's accident.

Ranked 1st and 3rd, Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly then drove their A524 brilliantly and, even if they were unable to keep up with the winner's frantic pace Max Verstappen, the French duo managed their race perfectly to finish on the podium. Thanks to the 33 points collected this Sunday, Alpine climbs from 9th to 6th place in the Constructors' Championship with 49 points, ahead of Haas (46 points) and Racing Bulls (44 points)! An improbable scenario that saves the season of the A arrow.

Esteban Ocon (Alpine), 2nd in the Brazilian GP : “What a day! After such a complicated season… it’s so nice to drive here, with the performances leveled thanks to the rain. Someone important to all of us said a long time ago that in the rain, cars are almost all equal. That phrase hasn’t aged! I’m very happy to be on the podium, it’s incredible, and the support here in Brazil from all the Brazilian fans is incredible.

“The car was very difficult to drive in the dry, but it was easier when it started raining this morning. [Saturday] night, really wanted to do some laps in the rain, I like it when it rains here. Today it brought us a great race for us.”

Pierre Gasly (Alpine), 3nd in the Brazilian GP : “It’s incredible for the whole team! We’re having a very difficult season, we’re struggling to score points and in these conditions, anything was possible. I believed in it until the end… two cars on the podium, I don’t think anyone had that in their predictions at the start of the season! It’s fantastic!”

“[Saturday] the dry race was pretty good. I finished 7th, but this morning we had a bad qualifying where we couldn’t have a good lap in Q2 because of the incidents. We started from behind, but I managed to recover 10 positions! I’m absolutely ecstatic right now, I’m very proud of the whole team, to overcome this complicated season. It would have been too easy to give up, but we never give up and we are here. Both cars 2nd and 3rd, big points for the team, everyone can be proud today.”

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