Esteban Ocon’s Monaco Grand Prix was cut short when he collided with Pierre Gasly.
Esteban Ocon has apologised for his part in the collision he had with Alpine team-mate Pierre Gasly on the opening lap of the Monaco Grand Prix.
During the first lap, both drivers approached the narrow right-hander at Portier, driving alongside each other. Unfortunately, their wheels collided, causing Ocon’s car to become airborne and land with a significant impact, resulting in severe damage that ultimately forced him to retire from the race.
Esteban Ocon accepts blame for Pierre Gasly collision at Monaco GP
In the heat of the moment, Gasly expressed his anger on team radio about the collision, asking in frustration, “What was that all about? Why did he come after me? Unbelievable!”
Although Gasly managed to resume racing after the restart, Ocon, unfortunately, could not do so. Nevertheless, Ocon secured a point by finishing in tenth place on Sunday.
Alpine team principal Bruno Famin also voiced his anger at the incident having taken place, hinting at “consequences” for his driver.
He conveyed to Canal+ his sadness upon witnessing such an incident.
Esteban’s attack was completely unexpected and not at all what we wanted to witness.
“We witnessed the very outcome we were hoping to avoid, and as a result, we will take responsibility and make a difficult choice.”
“Why not aim for a podium finish towards the end of the race? However, attempting to make an attack at Le Portier on the first lap was not the appropriate moment, as it left no space for his teammate.”
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Ocon assumed responsibility for the collision between his team-mates and humbly apologized to his team.
Ocon took to social media during the ongoing race to acknowledge his mistake, stating, “I take full responsibility for today’s incident. The gap turned out to be too narrow, and I sincerely apologize to the team. I’m keeping my fingers crossed for a well-deserved points finish for the team today.”
After his sudden departure from the race, he spoke to various media outlets, including PlanetF1.com, and expressed, “While being cautious, we are giving our absolute best, going above and beyond, to secure a place within the top 10. This is important not just for me, but also for Pierre.”
“Yesterday, we witnessed it and pushed ourselves to the extreme during qualifying. Errors are bound to occur, and that’s all there is to it.”
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