Esteban Ocon has praised Alpine for providing him with “momentum” after he finished fifth at 2022 Austrian Grand Prix.
Last weekend saw Ocon celebrate his 100th Grand Prix in F1 as he enjoyed a modest FP1 session in which he finished 12th, before improving to sixth in Qualifying and the Sprint either side of setting the fifth-fastest time in FP2.
Ocon went on to deliver a solid race as he benefitted from retirements of Sergio Perez and Carlos Sainz to improve to fourth, only to eventually finish fifth after he lost position to Mercedes’ George Russell in the closing laps.
Speaking post-race about his performance, Ocon praised Alpine for enabling him to maximise his pace in his 100th F1 race and get stuck into various battles, as he said: “I think we really maximised the pace of the car today when it really mattered. It was a great way to cap off my 100th Grand Prix in Formula 1.
“There were some good fights on the track today, but in the end George [Russell] was too quick and fifth position was the best we could have achieved.”
His sixth-placed finish saw Ocon climb to eighth in the driver standings and ensured Alpine sit fifth in the constructor standings on 81 points, albeit behind fourth-placed McLaren on countback by virtue of the latter having a higher finish of third place at Imola.
Up next is Ocon’s home race as F1 heads to Circuit Paul Ricard, France, for the 2022 French Grand Prix from 22-24 July, with the Frenchman in upbeat mood about his prospects of further points on home soil.
Looking ahead to the French GP, Ocon commented: “As a team we are moving in the right direction and we have momentum on our side going into Paul Ricard, one of the team’s home races, and of course mine as well.
“It should be an incredible weekend and I can’t wait to be back in front of the home fans in two weeks’ time.”
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