Team Principal Otmar Szafnauer is disappointed in the opportunity that the Enstone-based team missed out on in today’s Qualifying session, but is hopeful that the two drivers can bounce back in Sunday’s race after a plethora of grid penalties are due to be awarded, Alpine driver Esteban Ocon included.
After both Alpine drivers finished inside the top ten at the Zandvoort track and bagged double points for the team, both drivers and Team Principal were positive heading into the Italian Grand Prix and hoped to extend their success with a sixth consecutive double points finish. It seems one too many mistakes were made which resulted in the drivers missing out on positions higher up the grid.
Szafnauer commented on the performance, including, Fernando Alonso‘s failure to convert the car’s competitive pace into Qualifying and Ocon’s grid penalty: “We’ve missed a good opportunity in Qualifying today and so we are a little disappointed in our performance. Esteban will take a new ICE in his power unit and will have a five-place grid penalty, which, in the grand scheme of things and with others doing the same, has worked out quite well as he will start in a competitive position.
“Fernando has looked strong all weekend and he will be frustrated not to have converted that pace into Qualifying to start higher up on the grid. That said, he will start well inside the top ten and he will have every chance to come away with strong points in the race.
“Tomorrow is race day and, over the past couple of Grands Prix, we’ve shown that our race car is competitive, so the aim is to return with both cars inside the points.”
