Alpine continues to aim for title contention: 'We need to make progress'

Alpine team boss Otmar Szafnauer has identified the stable results of Fernando Alonso and Esteban Ocon as the main weapon in the battle with McLaren. Speaking to Racer Szafnauer said it was mainly because of how well matched the two drivers were that Alpine eventually won the duel.

The numbers are clear enough: Alpine's drivers were a lot closer together in 2022 than McLaren's drivers. While Alonso and Ocon were only nine points apart, there was a gap of a whopping 85 points between Lando Norris and Daniel Ricciardo. The Alpine drivers were much more evenly matched and, as a result, the team could count on both drivers to regularly drive in the midfield as well.

"You need that," Szafnauer confirmed. "Especially in the midfield you need two drivers that can score. I think it punishes you more in the midfield if it’s just one, because the points on offer aren’t that big usually. If one of them finishes 12th and the other one is eighth, as opposed to seventh and eight or eighth and ninth, it makes a difference over time."

Hundred-race plan still stands

Alpine still hopes to compete for the title. The aim was to win a title within a hundred races. Szafnauer says he still wants to stick to that target, even if Pierre Gasly will take Alonso's place.

"Next year we have to take a step closer to being able to win a championship, which is what we wanted to do in 100 races. That 100 started at the beginning of this year so it’s less than 80 now, so for us to be able to do that… We’re fourth but marginal to fifth — we need to do the same but be closer to third next year. We need to be closer to third than we are fifth next year — even if we stay fourth we’ve got to make progress."