Gasly and Ocon both scored points in Montreal amid some unease over a late position swap. But the fact that both drivers ended up in the top 10 was already a positive result for Alpine after a disappointing qualifying result for Ocon. Ocon went out in the first stage of qualifying in 18th, missing the cut to Q2 by a tenth and a half compared to Alpine team-mate Pierre Gasly .
As well as dealing with traffic, Ocon explained part of his deficit to Gasly was down to driving a heavier chassis than his team-mate since Miami, which he says will be rotated through the season. "It's been a couple of events that my car is quite a lot heavier than Pierre's," Ocon said. "We will rotate fairly in the year, that is very clear, but since Miami that is the case.
When all these things add up, it makes it difficult to go through Q1." As Alpine battles to get closer to the minimum weight limit, it is understood the difference between the two cars is around 3kg, which amounts to just under one-tenth per lap as a general rule of thumb. "He was lighter at the start of the year and then obviously we swap parts, so I'm one kilo lighter or something like that.
It's still very close," Gasly said. Earlier this month it was announced that Ocon will be leaving the outfit at the end of the season, an announcement which was made after the Frenchman came under fire in Monaco for making contact with Gasly. But with Alpine still involved in a close battle with Haas, Williams and Sauber for seventh position i.
