After a sluggish begin to the 2024 System 1 season Alpine pulled themselves out of the basement, as a string of fine performances noticed the French-based outfit climb as much as eighth within the F1 Constructors’ Championship standings. Whereas they had been shut out final trip within the British Grand Prix, Alpine arrived in Budapest for the Hungarian Grand Prix having scored factors in 4 of the final 5 race weekends.
Nonetheless, Friday’s twin follow classes had been both a “tough” or a “difficult” star, in response to Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly.
Ocon posted the 18th quickest time in Friday’s first follow session, with Gasly simply forward of him in P17. Issues weren’t significantly better later within the day, as Ocon completed in P14, and Gasly just a few spots behind him in P16.
“It’s at all times good coming again to the Hungaroring, a monitor I take pleasure in driving and a spot the place I’ll at all times have fond reminiscences,” mentioned Ocon, the winner of the 2021 Hungarian Grand Prix, within the staff’s post-session report. “General, it was a tough Friday, with the automobile not fairly working or behaving in the way in which we wished after making an attempt some experiments in each classes.
“We’re struggling barely with normal stability and grip on each the brief and lengthy runs,” added Ocon. “The automobile did really feel higher on excessive gasoline, however we have to enhance throughout the board if we’re to be aggressive for the remainder of the weekend. We have to look into this stuff and attempt to make enhancements forward of Qualifying tomorrow.”
Gasly had the same view of issues from his facet of the storage.
“It’s nice to be again in Hungary, though, on our facet at present, it has been a difficult begin to the weekend,” described Gasly. “Clearly, the excessive temperatures listed below are fairly robust to cope with and the automobile didn’t really feel nice at present. There may be tons for us to work on in a single day when it comes to automobile stability and arrange, so after all, the simulator work again at base tonight will probably be necessary.
“We’re nonetheless but to search out the automobile’s candy spot at this monitor. There’s extra to return from us and hopefully we are able to put our learnings into follow forward of tomorrow and be in higher form.”
