F1 News: Pierre Gasly Baffled by Alpine's Last-Minute Team Order In Japanese GP
Pierre Gasly has expressed his confusion and frustration over a last-minute team order from Alpine during the Japanese Grand Prix. The directive, which came during the race's final lap, has left the French driver seeking answers.
Key Takeaways:
- Pierre Gasly was instructed to let his teammate Esteban Ocon pass him during the final lap of the race.
- Gasly had managed to get ahead of Ocon early in the race, but a strategic pit stop saw Ocon move ahead.
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The Japanese Grand Prix saw an unexpected twist for Alpine's Pierre Gasly. Starting ahead of his teammate Esteban Ocon, Gasly managed to maintain his lead, especially after Ocon faced a puncture due to an opening lap incident. However, a strategic decision by the team saw Ocon pit earlier, allowing him to get ahead of Gasly.
The real confusion arose later when, despite Gasly being on fresher tyres and in a position to chase down cars ahead, he was instructed to let Ocon pass him. Gasly's response was one of disbelief, stating:
“Wait, what the f***, [are] you kidding me, why you saying like, I was faster, I’m on fresher rubber if he would not have passed me I’d have overtaken him anyway. Are you serious? You’re being serious? I started in front, I was in front the whole race, you let him undercut me.”
Karel Loos, Gasly's race engineer, reiterated the order, leading to Gasly branding the decision a "complete joke." The French driver was left baffled, especially since such a move "wasn’t discussed before the race."
Gasly further explained his perspective, emphasising that he was the leading car and that the team's decision to let Ocon undercut him was part of a strategy. Despite his frustration, Gasly confirmed that he would discuss the matter internally with the team.
While Gasly acknowledged putting the team's interests first, he admitted not understanding the team's decision but respected it. He explained to MotorsportWeek:
“I think we did a good strategy. As a team, we did the best job we could with both cars.
“In the end, I don’t understand the team’s decision, but I respected it. I let Esteban past. But in the end, it’s three points for the team, and that’s what we have to look at.”
Reflecting on Alpine's performance, Gasly remains optimistic about the team's progress, noting that they are closing in on Aston Martin. He believes that there will be more opportunities in the upcoming races.