Ocon: No reason Alpine can't get 'back into form' in Mexico

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Esteban Ocon sees no reason why his Alpine team can't get back into the swing of things in Mexico City this week after the Enstone squad's botched US Grand Prix weekend.

In Austin, both Ocon and teammate Fernando Alonso were sidelined on race day by mechanical issues which resulted in Alpine's first double DNF of 2021.

But Ocon says the French outfit has learned from its disappointing trip to Texas.

"t was not the weekend we were hoping for there even if we made improvements in every session," he said.

"We’ve analysed it and we’ll come back stronger in Mexico. The difference in the fight for fifth will be scoring consistently with both cars and that’s our target for Mexico."

Mexico City's Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez isn't a particularly difficult layout for drivers, but its location at 2,000 m and the environment's less dense air provide teams with a few unique set-up and engine challenges.

"The circuit is a good one to race at," added Ocon. "It’s pretty tough for a number of reasons but mainly because of the high altitude, which affects the power unit and finding a good set-up.

"Actually, the cars are set to high downforce, but it feels like it’s low downforce because of the conditions.

"Usually the car feels light and low grip and that’s a challenge to get used to. It’ll be much different to Austin in some aspects, as it’s much flatter and smoother tarmac.

"I’ve had some good results there in the past, like finishing fifth in 2017, so I can see no reason why we can’t get back into a rhythm and back into form soon."

Read also: Alonso a man of 'few words' says Alpine race engineer

Ocon's retirement in Austin was due to a handling problem, an issue which Alpine has addressed according to executive director Marcin Budkowski.

"Following concerns during the race, we have checked his car and confirmed that everything is OK ahead of Mexico," said Budkowski.

"In general, though, we were not competitive enough in Austin. Intense work has been going on across all technical departments since we returned from the USA to gain better understanding of our issues, which provided us with valuable learning for the remaining races."

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.