Alpine addresses Pierre Gasly’s frustration over team orders

Gasly’s Frustration at Suzuka
Pierre Gasly expressed his frustration after the Suzuka race when he was instructed to slow down on the final lap to let his teammate, Esteban Ocon, pass and secure ninth place. Gasly felt blindsided by this late position switch and believed it was unnecessary, as there had been no prior communication regarding such a move.

Team’s Perspective on the Incident
Alpine’s interim team principal, Bruno Famin, conducted a thorough review of the situation and admitted that the pitwall could have handled the communication better. However, he defended the decisions made during the race, emphasizing the team’s primary goal of maximizing points for the overall team performance.

Gasly’s Change in Perspective
Gasly has since adopted a more philosophical outlook on the incident after discussing it with the team. While his initial frustration was understandable, he now recognizes the importance of teamwork and optimizing the overall team result at each race weekend.

Qualifying Challenges
Alpine faced challenges in Japan due to low grid positions, resulting in a battle for lower points. Gasly and Ocon were knocked out in Q2, highlighting the need for improvement in single-lap pace. Gasly emphasized the importance of securing a better starting position to enhance their chances of success on race days.

Famin echoed the sentiment, acknowledging the need to have both cars in Q3 for better grid placement and to avoid incidents common in mid-grid starts.