Alpine has had a disappointing season in 2023, losing out a lot from their 2022 campaign in comparison. The 2022 season saw the French team assert a fourth place in the standings behind the top three and aimed to keep this as the status quo for the 2023 season. However, unprecedented Aston Martin success coupled with McLaren’s resurgence saw them demoted to sixth place.

Alpine signed Pierre Gasly in 2022 to drive this year, hiring the Grand Prix winner to partner with the other French driver Esteban Ocon. Though there is admittedly some friction between the two, they have gotten along well with Gasly getting the upper hand in 2023. The Monza winner has said that Alpine aims to win races in 2024, unequivocally asserting their campaign hopes.

I want to say 2024 because this is the clear target, and that’s the goal I’m working towards. And I just want it to happen very, very, very badly next season…I really hope we can hear the French anthem on the podium in Formula 1 next season in 2024.

Pierre Gasly said, as reported by formu1a.uno

Alpine has not won a single race since Esteban Ocon’s win at the 2021 Hungarian Grand Prix, when his then-teammate Fernando Alonso defended Lewis Hamilton for many laps, invaluable granting Ocon the win. The team formerly known as Renault wants to make a resurgence in 2024, exiting a Red Bull-dominated season.

Pierre Gasly opens up about infamous Australia crash with teammate Esteban Ocon

Alpine has had its fair share of drama in the past few years. The Renault-owned team had a chaotic time in 2022 with their driver lineup, as 41-year-old Fernando Alonso signed for Aston Martin after Sebastian Vettel’s retirement, and their attempt to sign Oscar Piastri backfired when the Australian moved to McLaren.

To fill the seat, they signed Frenchman Pierre Gasly, giving the team an all-French lineup. However, at the Australian Grand Prix during the violent red flag restart after Nico Hulkenberg’s shunt, the Alpine drivers crashed into each other, both of them ending up in the wall and out of the race.

Gasly opened up about the incident, revealing that the team talked things out. Alpine CEO Laurent Rossi, Ocon, and Gasly discussed the setback for the team in Paris, resolving the matter to make the rest of the season go smoothly.

We talked things out. We went to Paris and had a chat with [then Alpine CEO] Laurent Rossi. He had his opinion, I had mine, it felt like he could have backed out of it, but he didn’t and in the end we moved on, shook hands. We agreed between team mates we’ve got to take slightly more margin.

Pierre Gasly said via formula1.com

Gasly and Ocon have always had friction since their childhood days, but have reportedly alleviated this tension. The French teammates have both stood on the podium in 2023, giving Alpine some concession for finishing so low in the championship as compared to their 2022 season.

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