F1 News, Reports and Race Results

Ocon: Time for Alpine to 'react and up its performance'

Esteban Ocon says two disappointing races in succession left Alpine with work to do ahead of F1's upcoming double-header.

Alpine only scored three meager points in the last two races, all of which were put on the board in Austria while Silverstone was a pointless weekend.

Ocon insists the Enstone squad needs to react quickly to its recent string of underperformances and bounce back as quickly as possible, hopefully this week in Hungary.

"Silverstone was particularly difficult with a tough weekend ending in a retirement due to a hydraulic leak in what was our home race for Enstone," admitted Ocon.

"We are frustrated as it is clear we are still not where we want to be in terms of results, especially given the fact we have not maximised the potential of the car and taken our opportunities.

"We’ve sat down and reviewed various things, and we’ve prepared this next couple of weeks as best as we could with physical preparation, simulator work, and various meetings.

"We will be looking to bounce back in Budapest and Spa, tracks where we’ve been good at in the past."

Alpine's recent pains came amid McLaren's impressive gains which has allowed the Woking-based outfit to overhaul its rival for fifth place in the Constructors' standings, which is all the more reason for the French outfit to raise its game.

"I expect us to keep our heads down, work hard, and focus on ourselves," Ocon added. "After the last couple of weeks, it is clear we need to react quickly and make an impact on the track.

"We have also seen our close competitors make some big improvements and if we want to compete and beat them, we will have to up our own performance and execution.

"The Hungarian Grand Prix is this weekend, taking place at one of my favourite circuits, and where I had my first win a couple of years ago.

"We will look to deliver a strong result there and put our disappointment behind us.

"I know we are confident in our ability but it’s up to all of us to turn that into good performances on Saturday and points on Sunday."

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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.

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