Has the first Grand Prix of the season already sounded the death knell for Alpine's progress? 5th constructor in 2021, 4th in 2022, difficult to place 3rd this season. Its best driver in Bahrain: Pierre Gasly with a sad P9. The result is terrible for Ocon with three penalties and a retirement. Alpine will have to battle with Alfa Romeo and above all Aston Martin to keep its place as the fourth force in the paddock.

A start to forget. As soon as the winter tests started, it was clear that the Sakhir track was not the right one for the A523. The lap times were more than discreet with even sessions below the 2022 times. This could have been a desire to stay in the shadows, but the qualifying session quickly shed light on Alpine's potential. Pierre Gasly saw his time cancelled in Q1. But even without that he was only 17th. A position far from matching his team's ambitions. Esteban Ocon saved the day by making it to Q3. However, he proved to be terribly powerless to even get into the fight for the Top 5. Aston Martin ended its session in frustration. However, Fernando Alonso was P5 and Stroll P8 despite the after-effects of his bike accident. The gap is already significant, not only in terms of lap times but also in terms of the way they look at their performances. Aston Martin is in a conquering state of mind, sure of its single-seater while Alpine seems to be cowering in on itself, praying for a miracle in the race.

A chaotic first race

On Sunday, Gasly made the comeback of the day. Starting in P20, his shifted strategy allowed him to climb back to 9th place with panache. Although he gained 11 places, his points are a meagre consolation prize for the fourth team in the field in 2022. Esteban Ocon also made a name for himself in Bahrain but for the same reasons. He penalised himself at the start by positioning himself badly on the grid. The result: a 5-second penalty on his first stop. Except that the penalty is badly respected by his team who intervene too early on the car. Another penalty, this time of 10 seconds. A speeding offence in the pit lane topped it off and Ocon ended up retiring after a problem with his front wing. Without doubt the worst race of his career. A catastrophic Sunday that spoiled a respectable P9 in qualifying. The 2023 season starts badly for Alpine after a more than discreet winter test. It could be a will to hide its game from the competition. For the moment, it seems more like an admission of weakness in the face of the weak progress of their single-seater. The state of mind of the team remains to be underlined by its panache. Pierre Gasly thought he had won the best lap point but Zhou snatched it from him in the final moments. Aston Martin clinched the podium thanks to a fantastic run by Alpine transfer Fernando Alonso, with Stroll finishing P6. Valtteri Bottas even had the luxury of holding off Gasly at the end of the Grand Prix to put Alfa Romeo ahead of Alpine in the constructors' standings.

The management remains confident in its strengths

Laurent Rossi's (Alpine's managing director) communication on the Formula One website casts doubt on his team's hierarchy: "We need drivers to take the car to the next level. This is a clear sign that he wants his drivers to face up to their responsibilities. He therefore considers the single-seater to be capable of aiming higher than a P9. Alpine is 6th in the championship at the moment. Aston Martin and Alfa Romeo are superior for the moment. Team headmaster Otmar Szafnauer agrees, although he doubts his team will be able to compete in the next race: "I think Lance Stroll was just ahead of us, but I don't know yet if we can beat them in a normal race. The arrival of Dan Fallows in the Aston Martin technical team appears to have been a major turning point for Woking. The former head of Red Bull's aerodynamics department seems to have revolutionised his new team. Alpine is sorely lacking such a recruit in its ranks.

Is the goal of 100 Grands Prix still valid?

Alpine took over Lotus in 2016. The goal of 100 Grand Prix to return to the top seems unattainable. This return to the top seems to be more of a pipe dream than a realistic vision. 2022 did not allow any podiums despite its 4th place in the constructors' rankings. The slight downgrading of Mercedes should have allowed them to compete with the German firm. An unrealistic idea at this early stage of the season. But it should be noted that the gaps are very small on the track. The technical freeze has narrowed the gaps seen in 2022. This year, access to Q3 is based on details at each round. Improvements over the course of the season could therefore allow Alpine to return to the top of the grid in a big way. Ocon and Gasly will have to redouble their efforts to get Alpine back into the constructors' standings.