A very French affair

For the fans, the direct comparison between team-mates is always interesting to analyse, but it's even more so for the drivers themselves, aware that it's an important part of how they are judged by their employers. With two more qualifying sessions remaining, at the Qatar and Abu Dhabi Grands Prix, almost all the inter-team duels are now decided with one exception, an all-French affair involving the Alpine team and its very French driver line-up of Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly. At the moment, Esteban has the advantage, 15 to 13 overall, or 13 to 9 if one only considers qualifying for the main event on Sundays. 28 year old Ocon, who leaves the Enstone-Viry based squad to head for Haas next year, would definitely like to end his time with Alpine with the satisfaction of beating a driver who has always been more of a rival than a team-mate, ever since they first faced each other in karting as little kids.

Also 28, Pierre no doubt feels the same, as he is due to stay with Alpine next year when he will be paired with Australian Jack Doohan, even if the Rouen born driver could at the very most, only end up level pegging with Ocon if he outqualifies him tomorrow and again next Saturday in Abu Dhabi. The two are also very close when it comes to points scored with Gasly ahead by three points, 62 to 58. 

“It's the history of our lives that separates us,” Gasly told Auto Motor und Sport at the end of last season. “The collaboration still works well because we both want to win and that's only possible if we work as a team within the team. On a personal level there is no relationship between us and I don't need one.” From these comments, it was always hard to imagine this relationship lasting, or even being enough to create the chemistry needed to help a team grow, so it was always on the cards that the two would go their own separate ways.

And yet, the nicest photo from this very difficult two-year period for a team soon destined to go through a major metamorphosis and, who knows, maybe adopt a new identity, features the two of them together. It came in Interlagos with a completely unexpected result that saw both of them prove their talent in a race run in wet and treacherous conditions to finish on the podium, with Ocon second and Gasly third. The points scored shot Alpine up to sixth in the Constructors' standings and it is in with a good chance of finishing in that position: not exactly a dream result, but definitely better than the ninth place it seemed to be heading for prior to Brazil. Whatever the final result, the French odd couple enjoyed at least one joyous moment together.