BWT Alpine F1 Team into fourth position in Constructors’ after double points from home Grand Prix

Esteban’s four points brings hisfirst score in Formula 1 at his home race at the third attempt, progressingfrom tenth to eighth place at the chequered flag. Fernando enjoyed a strongSunday – his seventh points score in a row - with his overtake on McLaren’sLando Norris on lap one proving decisive in closing out sixth place at the end.Today, the Spaniard set the Formula 1 record for most ever laps completed as hemoved onto 18,672 career laps in Grand Prix racing.

Esteban received a five secondtime penalty after a collision with Yuki Tsunoda on lap one, but, after servingthat during his sole pit-stop, the Frenchman showed patience to recover thedeficit and ensure he came home with points courtesy of a second well-craftedovertake around the outside of Turn 10 on McLaren’s Daniel Ricciardo.

Both drivers were strong off the linefrom seventh and tenth on the grid with Fernando holding sixth and Estebaneighth. A Safety Car on lap 18 after Charles Leclerc’s crash allowed most ofthe field to pit. Fernando pitted first for Hards with Esteban soon after –taking his penalty during the pit-stop – to come out behind Ricciardo who hehad earlier passed on lap seven with a move into the Turn 8 chicane.

From there, Fernando cruised tosixth place at the flag, keeping Norris well at bay, while Esteban had to bepatient, and then clinical, to snatch eighth from Ricciardo seven laps from theend with a neat move on the outside of Turn 10.

The team moves onto 93 points inthe Constructors’ Championship heading into the Hungarian Grand Prix – thefinal race before the summer shutdown.

EstebanOcon, started P10, finished P8: “Thegoal today was to score points with both cars, and we’ve done just that! I’mhappy with my race today and it was brilliant to drive in front of the homefans who have been incredible all weekend, so thanks to them for all theirsupport. It was a tough one out there in the heat, and I enjoyed the on-trackracing with some tight battles. We’re now fourth in the Constructors’Championship, so we leave here feeling very positive and motivated to keep thatposition. I do hope we race in France next year as there is nothing quite likea home Grand Prix. Merci to all the fans and allez Alpine!”

Fernando Alonso,started P7, finished P6: “I am pleasedwith our race today. It was well-executed from our side and we managed the paceand tyres well. We had to work through a lot of things in terms of the carbalance this weekend, but we ended up finishing just behind the top fivepositions, so a very solid race in the end and more points on the board for us.I had a good start climbing up to fifth, but then we dropped to sixth andperhaps resumed our normal position in the race. It shows that when we have aclean weekend like this one, then we can finish in the top six positions.Hopefully we can keep-up this level of consistency throughout the second halfof the season and continue our momentum.”

LaurentRossi, CEO Alpine: “We’re very pleased to score strongly with both carsfrom our home race and we’re now ahead in fourth place in the Constructors’Championship and, I must say, it is deserved. It was great to race at CircuitPaul Ricard today in front of such passionate home fans, so thanks to them fortheir fantastic support all weekend. On track, we knew we had a great chance toscore well with both cars today. We needed a good start, which we achieved, andwell executed races by both team and drivers. Fernando did a great job to getpast Lando [Norris] at the start and from there he managed his race brilliantlyto score eight points in sixth. Esteban too had a great start but was given atime-penalty for his collision on lap one with Yuki [Tsunoda]. He had to keephis head down to claw back the advantage he gained, and his patience anddecisiveness was key in passing the second McLaren of Daniel [Ricciardo] foreighth place. Now our objective is clear. We must do everything we can toremain in fourth place in the Constructors’ Championship. It won’t be easy, butwe must keep our flow of upgrades coming and put together strong race weekends- like we have done at home in France this weekend - for the remainder of theseason.”