"I don't know what you ate" - Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon share childhood banter at Alpine's 2023 F1 car launch

Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon will be teammates for the first time in their careers driving for the BWT Alpine F1 team in the 2023 season.

The French duo have known each other since they were little and have raced against each other ever since. Both drivers have also had very similar paths in the sport, with multiple podiums and even race wins during the 2020 and 2021 seasons.

During the launch of the 2023 challenger, Gasly and Ocon reminisced about their childhood memories, with the former Red Bull driver making fun of his Alpine teammate's height. He said:

"Slightly taller than what I remembered. Well, I don't know what you ate at the time but you just like..,"

Ocon, in response, stated that he was always taller than Gasly since their childhood days. While speaking to the BBC, Ocon shed some light on their previously rocky relationship, adding:

"I am confident. You guys like the headlines and all these kinds of stories but we are both very professional and we are going to work the way we need to be performing. I don't think we will ever be best friends but that doesn't matter really as long as the atmosphere is great inside the team, and that's how it is at the moment and that's how it will remain during the year,"

"We have to work closely together if we want to be competitive" - Alpine driver Pierre Gasly

Despite racing together since their early days, the Alpine duo of Gasly and Ocon have not been the best of friends off the track.

Gasly stated that they have grown up since their feud and are ready to work together to push Alpine forward.

"We are grown-up people, more mature, and we are aware of the responsibilities of being Alpine drivers and having such a big group behind us. We have to work closely together if we want to be competitive. That's why I have no doubt everything will be fine."

However, F1 fans on social media were not necessarily convinced about Gasly's comments and gave out their reactions to their new pairing for the 2023 season:

It would be fascinating to see if both drivers can truly set their past differences aside and work closely to take the French F1 team forward. However, there is a high possibility of fallout if both are similarly competitive throughout the season.