After discreet tests, Alpine expects “a difficult start to the year”

While we should never over-interpret the performances recorded during the traditional pre-season runs of Formula 1However, it is not forbidden to outline trends to draw up an initial hierarchy of the 2024 grid.

But in this exercise, Pierre Gasly recognizes thatAlpine « will not be at the forefront, of that we are sure “, he told Sky. The Norman, just like his teammate Esteban Ocon and his Team Principal Bruno Famin, has the merit of being realistic about the state of form of the A arrow at the dawn of the new campaign.

A year earlier, the stable Alpine announced with fanfare that it aimed to get closer to the Top 3 in the Manufacturers' championship. And then the 2023 season happened, sweeping away the noisy statements and much of the team management.

After a modest launch on the side ofenstone (United Kingdom), the A arrow therefore continued with three days of tests during which the Dieppe (Seine-Maritime) brand kept a low profile. With the 16th and 17th combined times, Ocon and Gasly hardly made any sparks.

According to data collected by the official F1 website, the A524 is more than a second behind the lap Red Bull RB20 in qualifying pace and as much in race simulation. Performances that place Alpine around 7th-8th place in the Manufacturers' standings, neck and neck with Stake Sauber and Williams, but quite clearly behind Visa Cash App RB.

Esteban Ocon andAlpine A524 did not break the times during the Bahrain F1 tests. / © DPPI

At least the reliability is there

These difficult beginnings, the men from Enstone (United Kingdom) and Viry-Châtillon (Essonne) expected it. The A523 having quickly shown its limits in terms of development, the decision was made to review the concept of the in-house chassis in the hope of being able to advance it further. In summary: one step back to take two, or even three steps forward.

« We expect a challenging start to the year as we continue to learn more about our A524 and develop it throughout the season, soberly commented Famin, confirmed in the role of Team Principal in his own right this winter.

We were operationally strong all week and showed great teamwork between the two factories and the track team which was good to see. Our reliability was good and this allowed us to carry out our test plan. Now is the time to analyze the data and focus on optimizing the package available to us ahead of the first Grand Prix next week. »

In three days, Alpine completed 334 laps of the Bahrain circuit, which will host the opening Grand Prix next Saturday (March 2, departure at 16:00 p.m. French time), or 1807 km. Ocon covered 193, compared to “only” 141 for Pierre, whose work was disrupted by a red flag on Thursday (February 22) and the loss of a fairing wing on the front wheels on Friday at the end of the session (February 23). ).

Unlike his predecessors, Team Principal Bruno Famin is aware of the limits ofAlpine for the moment. / © DPPI

McLaren in 2023, the example to follow

« We've done a lot of testing and now have an important week to review all the data and continue learning about this new concept, analyzes the winner of the 2020 Italian GP, ​​who begins his second season in blue. It is crucial to learn everything about the entire package and understand how we can optimize it.

For my part, it was sometimes quite tricky, especially with a short run yesterday and today. The red flag on Thursday was a shame and a fin above a wheel came off the car and deprived us of a few laps late in the afternoon. Nonetheless, the team has had some productive testing over the past three days and that's the most important thing. »

If the performances of the A arrow are hardly famous, we can at least underline the lucidity of the speech, far from the triumphalism of last year.

This attitude is reminiscent of that of McLaren early 2023. At the end of a complicated winter, the Woking team (United Kingdom) immediately confessed that the first GPs would be delicate, before a hoped-for recovery during the year.

This was beyond expectations, with McLaren finishing as Red Bull Racing's main rival. There is no doubt thatAlpine would like to draw inspiration from it to make such a rise in the world hierarchy.

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