Esteban Ocon, Alpine.
Sky F1 pit-lane reporter Ted Kravitz said he spotted Alpine boss Bruno Famin calling reserve driver Jack Doohan over for a chat in Monaco, after threatening Esteban Ocon with “consequences” for his Pierre Gasly shunt.
Ocon lifted Gasly’s sister Alpine off the ground in a first-lap tangle in Monaco, Ocon having launched an overtake attempt on his team-mate down at Portier. It is safe to say that this did not go down well at all with Famin.
Could Alpine bench Esteban Ocon for Canadian Grand Prix?
During a conversation with French broadcaster Canal+, Famin suggested that there would be repercussions for Ocon, as he was unable to finish the race due to the incident.
After witnessing Famin call over Alpine’s reserve driver Doohan for a conversation, Kravitz found himself contemplating what these interactions could possibly entail.
Kravitz, on his show ‘Ted’s Notebook’, reported that there was an interesting incident in Alpine involving Esteban Ocon and his teammate Pierre Gasly.
At Portier, Ocon executed a maneuver by overtaking Gasly from the inside, causing Gasly’s car to flip in the air. Unfortunately, Ocon’s vehicle suffered significant damage to its suspension, rendering it unable to continue. Consequently, Ocon had to retire from the race.
“The stewards imposed a five-place grid penalty on him for the upcoming race in Canada, or for any future race he participates in. Now, let’s discuss what happened next: Bruno Famin gave him a severe scolding.”
Gasly, however, finished in 10th place. Although he was frustrated with his position, Gasly managed to secure a point today. Congratulations to Pierre Gasly for maintaining his 10th place throughout the race.
“Famin mentioned that a decision will be reached regarding the situation. Ocon took to Twitter admitting, ‘That’s entirely my fault’. However, the team is preventing us from discussing with Bruno Famin about the specific repercussions Esteban Ocon will face.”
More key talking points from the Monaco GP
Christian Horner questions Mercedes’ ‘defeatist’ Monaco Grand Prix strategy
Charles Leclerc’s bullish ‘Monaco curse’ response after earning landmark home victory
I witnessed Famin on the roof of the Alpine pit building, where he beckoned Jack Doohan, the reserve driver, for a conversation. They engaged in a chat, the details of which elude me. Subsequently, Jack Doohan departed by descending the stairs.
“I understand that it may not be on par with Woodward and Bernstein investigating Watergate, but it’s the only option I have at the moment.”
“Could Famin potentially penalize Esteban Ocon for disobeying his instructions and bench him for Canada? It’s a possibility. Is there a chance he might replace him with Doohan? It’s also a possibility.”
“If such a situation occurs, how will the Esteban Ocon camp react? I believe they will feel quite negatively about it. Will this result in the postponement of the penalty for Esteban Ocon to the following race, which happens to be in Spain after Canada? Certainly.”
However, I apologize for not being able to provide more specific information. That’s all I have for you. Nevertheless, there are certainly developments happening at the Alpine team.
A P9 for Williams’ Alex Albon in Monaco sees Alpine drop to P9 in the Constructors’ standings.
Read next – Monaco GP: Charles Leclerc breaks his Monaco curse as Sergio Perez walks away from scary crash
