'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Esteban Ocon continued his consistent run in the Alpine as he was able to achieve yet another points finish at the 2022 F1 Spanish GP. The French driver qualified outside the top 10 and started the race in 12th. As soon as the race began, however, he was slowly able to claw his way back into contention. He overtook multiple drivers, including Mick Schumacher and Daniel Ricciardo, en route to a 7th place finish in the race.
After the race, the Frenchman appeared happy with how everything had panned out as he said that this was the maximum that was possible with the tools at his disposal. Ocon said:
“I’m very happy for the team today with a good double result. It’s probably the best result we could have hoped for after yesterday and the team should be very proud for what we achieved today. It was a great first stint with some good overtakes and, overall, I don’t think there is anything we could have done better.”
With Fernando Alonso finishing P9, it was a double-points finish for the French outfit. Speaking about his team's performance, Ocon said:
“It was awesome to see Fernando [Alonso] in the points as well after starting from the back, and to do it here in Barcelona is even better. After a difficult Saturday, we proved that the pace is there, and the car is working well so this result definitely feels good. I’ll sleep well tonight!”
We need a better focus on the Saturdays: Alpine
Alpine CEO Laurent Rossi was happy with the result achieved with both the cars and attributed the team's ability to bounce back from a tough race as a standout quality. He said:
“To go from twentieth, and last, on the grid with Fernando and twelfth with Esteban to eight points in the bag at the end is certainly satisfying and well deserved. That said, we need to continue the hard work, particularly in ensuring more performance consistency throughout the whole weekend to better our starting grid positions.”
The 47-year-old also stressed the importance of starting higher up the grid, especially in the next race in Monaco, saying:
“We now need to ensure we put ourselves in a position where we’re battling for the higher points-scoring places on a more regular basis. In the circumstances, a good job by everyone in the team today and we now look ahead to Monaco next week where we know Saturday performance there often defines the outcome for Sunday’s race.”
Alpine currently finds itself sixth in the standings, 16 points behind McLaren in 4th.
