'No one can understand' – Ocon and Gasly reflect on their 'ups and downs' together after sharing Sao Paulo podium

Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly have both reflected on how their shared podium as Alpine team mates at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix brought back memories of the ups and downs that they have experienced in their relationship up to this point.

Having each grown up in Normandy, the two French drivers started competing against each other from an early age. However, relations between them became more tense as their careers progressed, meaning that much speculation arose over how they would work together as team mates when Gasly joined his former rival at Alpine in 2023.

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Despite this, the pair acknowledged that their surprise rostrum following a chaotic rain-affected afternoon at Interlagos – via Ocon finishing in second and Gasly in third, a result that hoisted the team up from ninth to sixth in the constructors’ standings – marked a special chapter in their shared story.

With Ocon set to leave the squad at the end of 2024 ahead of joining Haas next season, the 28-year-old was asked after the race what it had meant to sign off his Alpine stint with such a result.

“Well, it's not signed off yet. There are more races to go, three more,” Ocon responded. “But yeah, if that's the reward, then I'm very happy to call it that this is the reward. It's been five years of good moments, more difficult moments, of course.

“But, yeah, extremely happy and proud of me and Pierre, to be honest. We've had our stories at times, but it's been incredible to do that last formation lap.

“A lot of flashbacks came back to my memories, when we were racing on the wet in go-karts, when we were young, even in the snow with the slick tyres, we were both racing together and waiting for the podium or the win to come.

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“And today, yeah, it tastes a bit like that. So, yeah, beautiful story from where we come from, and that one will for sure forever stay engraved.”

Gasly nodded as Ocon shared this answer, leading the one-time race winner to agree that he experienced similar thoughts when driving alongside Ocon on the cooldown lap.

“I don't think anyone can understand,” Gasly explained. “It's a very personal relationship between Esteban and myself. But we've been going through so much.

“As he mentioned, all these times we've had, like over winter, minus five degrees outside, we were the only ones showing up at the go-kart track, going out in the rain, in the snow, slick tyres, [when we were] nine, 10, 11 years old, and we've really practiced these conditions.

“And on a day like today, I can tell you this actually made the difference, all that practice. I remember us getting back in the truck trying to get warm after a few laps because we were absolutely freezing. It's just that we've had our ups and downs.”

READ MORE: ‘We never gave up and here we are’ – Alpine pair overjoyed by unexpected double podium in Brazil

While their time as a pairing at Alpine will soon come to an end in what has been a challenging period for the team, Gasly is taking the positives from the impact that both he and Ocon have had on the squad.

“This two-year chapter as team mates, I think we can be very proud of the way we've pushed the team forward,” the 28-year-old added.

“It's been tough, obviously, this season, but we've always tried to push the team in the right direction to never give up. And on a day like today, even when the car has misbehaved for the majority of the season, everyone tried to [bring] the A-game, and it was just an historical day for the team. So very proud for everyone working in the team to achieve such a performance.”

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