Alpine F1 Team End of Year Newsletter

Esteban gave Alpine its first win in the sport after an incredible race in Budapest that will live long in the memory. The team showed a tremendous togetherness, none more so than our two drivers, a theme they have continued to show throughout the entire season. In a sport that is extremely competitive at heart and muddled with complexity, this was a moment that showcased the spirit that runs firmly through the fabric of the team.

Fernando also drove an incredible comeback season. With his podium finish in Qatar, we were all so happy to see him back up there where he belongs. It’s a testament to his skills as a driver that he slotted seamlessly back into this world. We know we can count on his immense level of experience and maturity heading into a big set of rule changes in 2022.

Outside of these standout results, the team has shown a level of consistency this year when we knew from the very start that the overall package wasn’t where we’d like it to be. We scored points in fifteen consecutive races and missed out on the top ten on all but only two races this season. This consistency is remarkable and will prove critical going forward.

This first season for Alpine has been a great platform for us to build on and head into a new era of Formula 1 next year. Even though we are all thankful for a short break, we’re all already very excited to get going with the new Alpine in 2022.”

Alpine F1 Team – 2021 in Numbers

Drivers – Esteban Ocon & Fernando Alonso

Wins – 1

Podiums – 2

Consecutive points finishes – 15

Double points finishes - 9

Esteban Ocon: Season Review

Fresh on the back of his return to Formula 1, Esteban headed into the 2021 season full of confidence after claiming a maiden podium in the sport at the 2020 Sakhir Grand Prix. Little did the Frenchman know that in fact he would go one better in his second season with the team, after remaining calm and collected to deliver his first Formula 1 victory in sensational fashion in the Hungarian Grand Prix.

It was a true team effort that day in Budapest. Esteban fended off a hard-charging Sebastian Vettel with team-mate Fernando Alonso taking care of Lewis Hamilton’s rocket pace with a resilient display of defensive driving. At the chequered flag it was Esteban who crossed the line first – becoming the first French driver to win in Formula 1 for a French team powered by a French engine since Alain Prost in 1983 – with Fernando a well-earned fifth.

After a quiet start in Bahrain, Esteban’s early season form was impressive with four consecutive points finishes across Emilia-Romagna, Portugal, Spain and Monaco, which also included two brilliant, top six qualifying performances in Portimão and Barcelona. A difficult run of races followed with points hard to come by, including in both Austria rounds and his home race in France – where it was announced Esteban had extended his contract with the team to three further years.

Esteban rediscovered his early season promise with a ninth-place finish at a packed-out British Grand Prix. Then, the biggest moment of his young career so far: the glorious, unimaginable run to the chequered flag in Hungary to enter the summer break in the best way possible.

With his head down and confidence up, Esteban delivered points in all but three of the eleven races after the summer. The standout was in Saudi Arabia in December where he was pipped to the podium by just 0.1secs at the flag after another calm yet punchy display at the front of the pack. For the first time since his GP3 days in 2015, Esteban lined-up in pole position for a red-flagged restart after a chaotic sequence of events in Jeddah, which involved title protagonists Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen. Esteban concluded his year with two points in the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Esteban Ocon: “I’d say, overall, that it’s been a very good season for us as a team. After a year of getting back into the rhythm of Formula 1, I felt much more prepared and ready ahead of 2021 and I think that was reflected in our performances and results. I was really pleased with the form at the beginning of the year especially with memorable qualifying runs in Portugal and Spain. When we had the dip in form between France and Austria, I was very encouraged by how the team and I reacted, to dig deep and find the solution. That hard work paid off in Silverstone initially before the win in Hungary. I felt we worked well as a team all season from the engineers, mechanics, both factories and of course with Fernando on-track. That consistency and togetherness is definitely what helped us achieve fifth place in the Constructors’ Championship. We were not the fifth fastest car every week, but we were up there in terms of extracting everything from our package and that is what we can be pleased about when reflecting on this season. That hard work must continue into 2022, and I’m excited to see what we can achieve!”

Favourite Moment: “My favourite moment of the season has to be the win in Budapest. It really was something fantastic and I look back at it with immense pride. The way the race unfolded was so unique. I always like driving in the rain and when it is wet, I feel like I can be there to take any chance that comes up. On that day, the opportunity was there, and we took it! The target is to be standing on that top step of the podium more regularly and be in a position to compete for championships. There have been other memorable times this year, like my qualifying in Spain, Fernando’s podium in Qatar and the chaotic race in Saudi Arabia. It’s nice to look back on these experiences and hopefully we can create more memories like it in the future and seize even more opportunities when they come.”

Targets for 2022: “We all know it’s a very important year with the big regulation changes and an opportunity to hopefully close the field up. We won’t know where we are in terms of competitiveness until the first race when everyone shows what they have. We can only control what we do, so the hard work will definitely continue over the winter to be absolutely ready for the season start. At the moment, there are no targets other than to keep working as a team and give it our best when the time comes.”

Fernando Alonso: Season Review

Fernando returned to Formula 1 for the 2021 season having taken a two-year absence from the sport. In his first race weekend back, the Spaniard showed he had lost none of his immense talent and guided the A521 into its first-ever Q3 appearance of the season. As he adjusted to his new car and surroundings, it was then at the Portuguese Grand Prix that we saw further glimpses of his racing pedigree. He surged through the field with some bold overtaking moves to finish the race in eighth.

A string of points finishes followed, before Fernando stole the show at Formula 1’s first-ever Sprint Qualifying in Silverstone. The Spaniard carved his way past numerous cars at the start and was recognised as ‘King of the Sprint’ from then on in recognition of his tremendous race craft.

Ahead of the summer break, the Hungarian Grand Prix was a big weekend for the team. While Esteban’s name was deservedly sketched onto the trophy, it was in part made possible thanks to a valiant defensive display by Fernando, who held up a fast charging Lewis Hamilton to enable Esteban to take his first win at the chequered flag.

He then helped the team in its ongoing battle for fifth place in the Constructors’ Standings by scoring consistently inside the top ten throughout the second half of the season. Fernando then saw his opportunity in Qatar, and with a strong A521 under him, he scored a fantastic third place finish and visited the podium for the first time since the Hungarian Grand Prix in 2014.

By the end of the season, Fernando’s haul of 81 points was the most he’s scored in a single season since 2014. After a strong comeback season coupled with a 98th career podium, the team is hopeful of an exciting 2022 with an enthusiastic and experienced Spaniard at the wheel.

Fernando Alonso: “It’s been an enjoyable first year back in the sport. I’ve shared many great memories with Renault in the past and we’ve continued that tradition this season under now the blue colours of Alpine. We knew coming into this season it was largely a continuation of the 2020 cars with small changes, so we didn’t expect the order to change that much. But despite this, I think we still delivered a very consistent season with some fantastic results. Even though our package was maybe not where we would like it to be, our race weekends were executed perfectly, and it shows with how many races where we scored points. The win and the podium were obviously big moments for the team, and it’s results like this that will help us build towards a more competitive year in 2022. We have all of the ingredients in place at Enstone and in Viry and I am already looking forward to next year. ”

Favourite Moment: “I think it’s quite obvious. The win in Hungary was huge for us as a team and for Esteban too being his first in the sport. It was also where I took my first ever win, so maybe there is something special about that track for us. We came into that weekend in Budapest not expecting a podium honestly, never mind a win! I was also fighting for a potential podium and so it was nice to see us fighting on both fronts. To see the celebrations after, it was so special. I had my podium again in Qatar, which was a nice moment after not being up there for some time. I think these two moments for me are the ones I savour most from 2021.”

Targets for 2022: “It’s a big year with the new regulation changes. We hope to be one of the teams who capitalise on them and be more competitive next year. It’s all very difficult to predict. All we can do is have a strong winter and prepare for next year as best as we can. A lot of preparation has already gone into the design for next year, so let’s see where we are at the first test and take it from there. ‘El Plan’ is still loading and we’ll have some fun that’s for sure.”