Esteban Ocon, a driver for the Alpine F1 Team, has acknowledged the need for improvement in the team’s race performance, despite earning their first point of the 2024 season at the Miami Grand Prix. The team has faced setbacks this year due to an overweight and underdeveloped A524 car, which was based on a new concept. However, after implementing updates to address the excessive weight, Ocon managed to secure a commendable 10th place finish in Miami. The French driver views this achievement as a positive step forward for the team and hopes it will contribute to their ongoing progress.
Ocon expressed his satisfaction with earning a single point, especially considering the team’s previous struggles in Bahrain, where they finished 19th and 20th. He recognizes the incremental improvements they have made and appreciates the team’s dedication in understanding the issues affecting their pace. Although the weekend was not without its challenges, Ocon believes that their close brushes with scoring points in the last two races (11th in Shanghai and 10th in Miami) are encouraging signs of their potential. Overall, he is pleased with the outcome of the weekend and the rewards they have reaped.
The driver also revealed that he faced the same engine clipping issues during qualifying, which hindered his chances of advancing to Q3. Despite this setback, Ocon maintains that the Alpine car performs better in qualifying sessions compared to race conditions. He speculates that if the race had gone on for a few more laps, his teammate Nico Hulkenberg would have been a formidable competitor. Ocon himself had to navigate through numerous challenges during the race and laments the car’s lack of straight-line speed, which further complicated matters. Despite these difficulties, he remains optimistic and appreciates the rewards they have achieved, considering the less-than-ideal lead-up to the race.