With BWT Alpine F1 Team further strengthening their grip on fourth place in the FIA Formula 1 World Championship Constructors’ Standings last time out in Zandvoort, Team Principal Otmar Szafnauer has said that the Enstone-based team will be looking to make it six consecutive double points finishes this weekend at the Italian Grand Prix.
Esteban Ocon and Fernando Alonso, starting twelfth and thirteenth respectively, were both able to recover from disappointing qualifying sessions to secure a fifth double points finish in a row for the Alpine team. Ocon secured a ninth-place finish while Alonso was able to pick his way through the field in an impressive manner to secure a sixth-place finish in Zandvoort.
Since the return from the summer break, Alpine has been able to break away from McLaren F1 Team in the battle for fourth in the Constructors’ Standings, while McLaren has struggled to find race pace, Alpine has been able to string together impressive finishes in both Belgium and the Netherlands to grow their lead over McLaren to twenty-four points.
Szafnauer was complimentary to the team’s performances since the return from the summer break, stating that even when the team isn’t performing at its best, such as qualifying at Zandvoort, the team has been able to rectify any issues they have faced. Szafnauer is looking for a strong result in Monza to round off what has proved to be a successful European stint of the season.
“The Netherlands was another very good race for the team with both cars converting out-of-place grid positions well into the points. It was a great race across the board where we made strong calls on strategy matched with strong racecraft from the drivers to deliver what was required. It was not a completely clean weekend – far from it – especially as our qualifying was quite uncharacteristic for a number of reasons.
“We brushed that aside when it mattered on Sunday, though, and that’s satisfying. We brought some small upgrades, as we will continue to do, which is making a clear difference to our level of competitiveness. It’s five double points in a row and we aim to make it six this weekend.”
