Alpine fined 10,000 euros for pitstop blunder.
Pierre Gasly was given the green light to exit the pitbox before the right rear tyre had been properly fitted when a team member incorrectly clicked a button to release the car.
Apr 21, 2024, 08:41 PM
The Straits Times

Formula One stewards fined Renault-owned Alpine 10,000 euros ($10,654) on Sunday after a bungled Chinese Grand Prix pitstop left a mechanic on the ground.

The French driver was stopped before leaving the pitbox, with a mechanic falling backwards in the chaos but able to continue for the remainder of the race. Stewards said Gasly had not been at fault and the team was wholly responsible.

"Thankfully nobody was hurt, and we will investigate the reasons to avoid such incidents in future," said team boss Bruno Famin.

‘Pitstop blunder’;

https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/f...itstop-blunder


Pierre Gasly explains ‘quite scary’ pit stop moment at the Chinese Grand Prix
21 Apr 2024 2:15 PM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Knocking over one of his right rear tyre mechanics in China, Pierre Gasly explained he was shown the green light to leave the pits only for it change to red. The good news is his mechanic is “fine”. Gasly’s chances of surging from 15th on the grid to score a point at the Chinese Grand Prix were hindered when he made a 19-second pit stop, a “scary” moment delaying him in the pits.

“Yeah, quite scary, actually,” Gasly told the media in Shanghai. “My green light, the light went green so I dropped the clutch, but then it went red straightaway. And then I saw him in the mirror, and saw the wheel wasn’t on. The mechanic is fine, which I was a bit scared of.”

“We’ve had a couple of instances this year where I’ve lost some time on the box, so I’m sure we’ll review exactly what’s happened and improve it for next time.” Stationary for 19 seconds, Gasly dropped to the very back of the field.

‘Quite scary’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/pierre...ese-grand-prix


‘Quite scary’ - Pierre Gasly explains botched pit stop as Alpine mechanic hit
Pierre Gasly accidentally hit one of his Alpine mechanics during a pit stop blunder in China.
22 Apr 2024
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

Pierre Gasly has explained the “quite scary” moment he knocked over one of his Alpine mechanics during a botched pit stop at the F1 Chinese Grand Prix.

During the Frenchman’s first pit stop in Shanghai, Gasly was mistakenly given a green light to leave his box before his right-rear wheel had been properly attached to his car.

As he pulled away, one of his mechanics was sent tumbling to the ground by the tyre. Alpine confirmed after the race that the mechanic was “OK” and had avoided injury.

‘Alpine mechanic hit’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/104729...e-mechanic-hit


Esteban Ocon’s Unique Path To F1
April 23, 2024
Nicole Powell
Last Word On Sports

Esteban Ocon had a great junior career, although, lack of funding created unique challenges for the driver. Esteban Ocon was a young talent, however, lack of funding and sponsors slowed his progress to Formula One.

After years of struggling to keep his grip in the F1 world because he didn’t bring sponsors the way his peers did, with the support of Mercedes, Ocon now has both feet standing firmly in the sport. Ocon is now an F1 race winner, following his win at the Hungarian Grand Prix in 2021.

‘Unique Path To F1’;

https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsp...ue-path-to-f1/


Alpine warned despite 'best race' of troubled season
Upgrades were added to the Alpine in China, and whilst its problems were soothed, Esteban Ocon has issued a warning.
25 April 10:35AM
Jake Nichol & Ian Parkes
RacingNews365

Esteban Ocon has warned Alpine that it is "too early" to suggest it has turned a corner in its troubled 2024 campaign, despite an encouraging Chinese Grand Prix. "At the moment, we haven't scored one point this season, so it is early to say, but it is our best finish of the year with both cars," Ocon told media including RacingNews365.

"We need to be careful what we read into it, and also who was there in that race, there was many things happening and a lot of contenders were at the back, so that is the other thing we need to be careful of. But at the same time, I feel like it was a very strong weekend on the operational side and in my driving, so I'm happy with that.”

"I'm a bit disappointed at the same time not to be in the points, we ended 2.3s away which is difficult to swallow, given the job we did. It was fully maximised and this was my best race of the season, and clearly there was nothing left on the table. Not to have that reward is pretty sad, but we are going in the right direction, small steps at a time."

‘Alpine warned’;

https://racingnews365.com/ocon-issue...roubled-season


Pierre Gasly among Alpine team paying respects to Ted Toleman and Ayrton Senna
Thursday 25 April 2024 16:00, UK
Sky Sports

Sky Sports' Craig Slater is at Alpine's headquarters as they pay respects to Ted Toleman and Ayrton Senna and speaks to Pierre Gasly who reveals what it was like to take a drive in Senna's Formula One car.

‘Paying respects’;

https://www.skysports.com/watch/vide...d-ayrton-senna


Pierre Gasly “in negotiations” with Williams as F1 driver market hots up
Pierre Gasly could move to Williams, according to David Croft.
25 Apr 2024
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

Speaking on the latest episode of the Sky F1 podcast, Croft gave his predictions on how the F1 driver market will play out for 2025. “I think Nico Hulkenberg is going to Sauber,” he said. “He will be there at Audi alongside Carlos Sainz. I think that’s where Sainz is heading because Mercedes will bring in Andrea Kimi Antonelli - that makes logical sense and I think Red Bull will keep hold of Sergio Perez - that makes logical sense as well.”

“Where does Zhou go? He could go to Alpine. Remember he was a Renault academy driver so he could go back into that stable again. Ocon or Gasly - or both - are going to have to leave Alpine. Gasly might find himself at Williams. I am sure he’s been in negotiations with Williams to drive alongside Alex Albon.”

“That does free up a space but they also have Jack Doohan waiting in the wings who is very much acclimatised in that team. Haas? No. I think that will be Kevin Magnussen and Ollie Bearman. Zhou is not part of that Ferrari stable so Ferrari will want to bring the young Ferrari driver in. It probably leads you to the conclusion we could do with two more teams on the grid but that’s a whole Andretti story.”

‘F1 driver market hots up’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/104736...er-market-hots