‘I don’t think the team did their part’ – ‘Too nice’ Esteban Ocon takes aim at Alpine in Canada

Esteban Ocon says Alpine didn’t do “their part of the job” when the team failed to order Pierre Gasly to give him back P9 on the final lap of the Canadian Grand Prix.

Esteban Ocon, who will leave Alpine at the end of this season, was frustrated with the team in the latest team order row at Alpine.

Esteban Ocon: I don’t think the team did their part of the job

Overtaken by Daniel Ricciardo late in the Montreal race, Ocon then had his team-mate Gasly right behind with Alpine telling him to move over for his compatriot.

After a bit of discussion with his race engineer, Josh Peckett, he let Gasly through at Turn 8 on the penultimate lap despite believing it was a thankless task.

With Gasly unable to catch Ricciardo, Ocon believed his team-mate should’ve given the position back only to be told that “the cars are not swapping places”.

The Frenchman was frustrated, telling Peckett that he’d done his job “but you guys didn’t do what you had to do.”

It’s a sentiment he echoed when he faced the media after bringing his A524 home in tenth place, one position behind Gasly.

“I think today I’ve done my part of the job,” he said. “but I don’t think the team did their part of the job.

“I’ve been a team player and I’ve always respected the instructions that I’ve been given, always – it’s always been the case and I showed it once more today.

“But the nice guy doesn’t always pay off in Formula 1 and that is bothering me a lot.”

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Esteban Ocon rues being ‘too nice’ in Formula 1

Ocon, reiterating that he was a team player and “always” is, says being a “nice guy” didn’t work for him in Montreal.

Giving his side of the story, he said: “What happened is that I was asked to let Pierre go with two laps to catch Daniel who was two and a half seconds in front.

“Inside the car I called it and I said there’s no way that’s possible, so what do we do? The team asked me to let him go so I did my part as a team player.

“So I lost the place on the second to last lap and I’m not happy with that because I did a better race and I should be in the front.

“But I showed once again that I do what’s best for the team, I respect the instructions that I’ve been given, always. I’ve shown that once more and it’s a shame that it has to end that way.”

“I did my part as a team player, being the nice guy. Too nice.

“I had to let Pierre go at the end which I did, I always follow the instructions I’ve been given.

“But for no reason really because we’re not going to catch Daniel, that was the reason for that. And obviously, I’m losing a point there.

“Being too nice is not the right attitude to have in Formula 1 but I’ve shown that I’m a team player.”

Ocon wants to discuss Sunday’s team orders with the team.

“Obviously we’ll discuss that with team, but today I’m not the happiest,” he admitted.

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