Ocon Calls Double Podium the Perfect End to His Alpine Era

Esteban Ocon has described the double-podium finish for Alpine at the 2024 Brazilian Grand Prix as the perfect way to end his chapter with the French team. The result, a P2 for Ocon and P3 for teammate Pierre Gasly, came amid a season where Alpine often struggled at the back of the grid.

Why it matters:

The podium capped a complicated partnership between Ocon and Gasly, whose rivalry dates back to childhood karting in France. Despite on-track clashes in 2023 and 2024, including collisions in Australia and Monaco, the pair put aside tension to deliver Alpine's best result of the season.

The details:

• Ocon qualified fourth after a wet Saturday, having been 17th in dry conditions the day before.
• He led the race for 15–20 laps, but chose not to fight for the win aggressively, fearing he would lose a rare podium opportunity.
• "There was one opportunity to score a podium that year, and that was the one," Ocon told F1. "I didn't want to bin it."
• He admitted a slight regret: "Deep inside me, it didn't feel complete. There was something a little bit more to play."
• The result remains Alpine's only double podium of the hybrid era and a highlight for the team before Ocon moved to Haas for 2025.

Between the lines:

The Brazilian GP showcased Ocon's wet-weather skill and the value of opportunistic racing. While he acknowledged he could have pushed harder for the win, the priority was securing a result that would define his Alpine legacy. The shared podium with Gasly also served as a rare moment of unity between two fiercely competitive drivers.