Esteban Ocon says he’s discovering it laborious to consider that Alpine’s double podium within the Sao Paulo Grand Prix is actuality.
Alpine entered Sunday’s race in ninth place within the constructors’ championship on 16 factors, one level behind Williams within the standings. In moist circumstances, each Ocon and Pierre Gasly excelled because the group additionally pulled off a courageous technique — operating lengthy and benefiting from a crimson flag — to complete second and third behind Max Verstappen and transfer as much as sixth total with a 33-point haul.
“I’m undecided that it is a actuality or nonetheless a dream, however I odor champagne, so I believe it’s actuality,” Ocon stated. “It’s been an unimaginable day. Who would have thought, to begin with, that we have been going to qualify fourth? We have been very, very fast as quickly as these circumstances poured out at present.
“It actually ranges out the sector and it feels nice to be simply in a position to struggle with different automobiles, to struggle with the blokes on the entrance as properly. It exhibits that we nonetheless acquired it and when there is a chance, we’re all the time there to have the ability to take it.
“We have been main the race sooner or later. That was a particular second — I used to be pulling away from Max in that first restart. It was going tremendous properly and sadly, on the finish, the truth verify got here again and Max was nonetheless higher than us.
“It feels extraordinarily nice and even better now as a result of we’ve had a troublesome couple of races currently the place issues didn’t actually work the best way we needed for us, however it clearly exhibits that we’ve nonetheless acquired it when it’s not all in regards to the automobile and it’s … about driving.”
The result’s Ocon’s fifth rating of the season, and his earlier finest end was a solitary ninth place forward of three tenths. The Frenchman will depart Alpine on the finish of the season and he says the very fact he may rejoice with teammate Gasly — who has been a rival since their junior careers — made it further particular.
“It’s not signed off but; there’s extra races to go, three extra,” he stated. “If that’s the reward, then I’m very blissful to name it … the reward. It’s been 5 years of fine moments, tougher moments after all, however I’m extraordinarily blissful and happy with me and Pierre, to be sincere. We’ve had our [struggles] at occasions however it’s been unimaginable to try this final formation lap.
“Numerous flashbacks got here again to my recollections once we have been racing on the moist in karts once we have been younger, even on the snow with the slick tires. We have been each racing collectively ready for the rostrum or the win to return and at present, it tastes a bit like that. A phenomenal story from the place we’ve come from and that one will keep endlessly.”
