![]() However, two q3 appearances and two points finishes in Italy and Portugal has turned Ocon’s fortunes around immensely. So, when Ocon was knocked out in q1 at Bahrain it looked like it could be the start of a very difficult season for the Frenchman. Stoffel Vandoorne, while an impressive driver, was routed by the Spaniard during their partnership with McLaren from 2017–2018. Competing alongside Alonso has ended F1 careers. ![]() That Red Bull seat will likely remain an impossibility, but these performances have shown that he more than merits a seat at one of F1’s top midfield teams.įor whatever pressure Gasly was under from his new teammate, that was increased tenfold for Ocon as Bahrain drew its curtains. There was a lot of pressure on his shoulders with the introduction of the exciting Yuki Tsunoda to the team, but in these opening races he has shown the advantage of his far greater experience to become an obvious team leader. The pace wasn’t quite there at Portimao, but Gasly still maintained a points scoring finish. He came back to finish seventh to secure his first points of the season. But this time the pace was there for an impressive recovery drive after the race restart. Imola was a similar story, with yet another fifth place finish on Saturday. Despite an impressive qualifying performance, a first lap incident left the Frenchman far behind and the damage prevented him from ever recovering. The Alpha Tauri has taken a step forward from where it was in 2020, but in Gasly’s hands it looks like a car that can compete with the McLarens and Ferraris, and could maybe even secure a podium at some point in the season.īahrain was a disappointment. These three races made it clear there is still plenty of fight left in the 39-year old. It must have been satisfying, too, for him to pass both a McLaren and a Ferrari on his way to an impressive eighth place finish. The pace advantage on the fresher tyres saw a great fight through the field. The two time world champion stayed out far longer than his competitors, with only Daniel Ricciardo and Sergio Perez lasting longer on the Medium tyres. Perhaps he was unlucky not to win driver of the day for his tyre management. It was his performance in Portugal that tipped him into the top 10. He was fighting in the points before the first round of pit stops which saw him gradually fall down the order before retiring prematurely.Īlonso’s qualifying pace hasn’t been to the level of his teammate since Bahrain, but he has made up for it with two steady points finishes. He failed to finish his first race back, but a brake failure meant he didn’t even finish the Grand Prix. Since returning, he has managed one q3 appearance, in Bahrain, and two points finishes from Imola and Portimao. He “retired” after the 2018 season, but after two years away the allure of racing in F1 caught up to him. The Spaniard has had an interesting start to his return to the sport.
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