20 May 2022

Drivers Esteban Ocon and Fernando Alonso and Team Principal Otmar Szafnauer share their thoughts on the sixth race of the Formula 1 season in Barcelona.

 

Otmar Szafnauer:

 

“Firstly, the aim is for us to have both cars inside the points, which we’re yet to achieve since the first race of the season. If we’re going to achieve our goals for the year, then this is the minimum requirement the remaining Grands Prix. We’ve demonstrated consistently we have a competitive car and it’s important now that we convert that promising pace into points on Sundays. We’re certainly aiming to bounce back from Miami by having a much better, and cleaner, race weekend. We can only control what is in front of us, so that’s the target in Barcelona and both drivers are ready to deliver.”

 

Esteban Ocon:

 

“Barcelona is one of those circuits all teams, and all drivers, know very well. We have raced and tested there for a while now, but of course it does bring its own challenges just like any track. The first two sectors are fast and can be tricky, with tyre management being very important. The final sector is slow speed and you normally feel a loss of grip towards the end of the lap as the tyres overheat. In general, it’s quite difficult to overtake in Barcelona, although the long downhill straight can give power and DRS advantage, so that is a key part of the circuit. It makes Qualifying and race strategy particularly important to gain track position. Last year, I qualified fifth on the grid so it is a track I enjoy, and we know we can be competitive there.”

 

Fernando Alonso:

 

“I have raced many years in Barcelona, so I know the track and place well. It’s a track that really shows where your car stands amongst the rest of the field and it’s been home to winter testing for a number of years. The track is not easy to overtake on and so you have to qualify well. Unless there is a Safety Car or something unusual in the race then it’s difficult to gain ground. We’ve been qualifying quite well this year so hopefully we can continue the form from previous Saturdays into Barcelona and have a trouble-free race.”

 

2022 Spanish Grand Prix Factfile

 

The Circuit:

 

Circuit length: 4.675 km
Race distance: 308.424 km

 

First race took place in 1991.
Acted as the start and finish line for cycling events in the 1992 Summer Olympics. Rated as one of the most environmentally sustainable circuits in the world.
The Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya layout has been changed several times over the years, the most noticeable being the inclusion of a slow-speed chicane before the final corner in order to increase overtaking.


Driver and team facts:

 

Renault-powered cars have delivered 10 pole positions, 12 wins, 524 points and 8 fastest laps at the Spanish Grand Prix.
Fernando Alonso scored an emotional win in 2006, driving for Renault F1 Team in front of an adoring home crowd. Fernando would repeat the feat in 2013.
Esteban Ocon gained 12 places during the Miami Grand Prix, the most in his career so far. Esteban finished 5th at Barcelona in 2017, his best result of his rookie season in Formula 1.


Alpine scored 2 points in last year’s Spanish Grand Prix, courtesy of Esteban’s battling performance to finish 9th, having qualified in 5th.


Alpine Academy and Affiliate drivers:

 

- Jack Doohan qualified third at Imola despite never having raced at the circuit before.  Jack finished second in Barcelona during his 2021 FIA Formula 3 campaign.

 

- Olli Caldwell achieved the best result of his season so far with 13th in Imola. Olli won in Barcelona in 2021, claiming his first Formula 3 win.

 

- Caio Collet has three podiums in Barcelona, the most recent coming in the opening race of last season’s Formula 3 championship.

 

- Victor Martins recorded a double points finish in Imola including 2nd in the sprint race. Victor has no less than 8 podium finishes in Barcelona across his junior career including 6 wins and 2 back-to-back race wins in the same weekend.

 

-Abbi Pulling is on 20 points after the opening round of the 2022 W Series. This is Abbi’s best ever start to an open-wheel championship.
Alice Powell’s second place in Miami means that she carries on her streak of at least one podium in each of the three season’s she’s been in the W Series.