Alpine's optimistic message for 2022
Author: @marca
Alpine finished the 2021 season in fifth place in the Constructors' Championship with a win (Ocon) and a third place (Alonso).
With the new regulations from 2022, the French team expects to become one of the best in the coming years.
The fact is that Alpine are not satisfied. They have not achieved the initial objective. This has been evidenced by Marcin Budkowski, who understands that the A521 gives them to be "between fifth and sixth depending on the tracks. And, in a way, we are probably exceeding the pace of the car a bit if we finish fifth".
Are they stagnant? Well, it seems that, although it is true that the coronavirus pandemic has hurt them a lot. "We are using practically the same engine for the third year, practically the same chassis and the same gearbox for the third year in a row. We were planning to use them for two years, it was a strategic and conscious decision."
"We weren't planning on using them for three, but that was the result of COVID-19 and the current rules being extended for a year. So with a car that has pretty much the same mechanical foundation, we have managed to maintain our position in the championship. and to get closer to the best. That shows that the other areas of the team have advanced and progressed, I mean the ones that we have not frozen," says the executive director of the French team.
But despite everything Budkowski sends an optimistic message. They have a plan... The Polish engineer prefers to think that with the tools they had they have performed well and that in 2022 they can do better. "All this that I have commented is quite exciting for next year because we are going to develop everything, we are going to have a new engine, obviously we are going to have a new chassis and a new aerodynamics because the rules are going to change."
"We have seen that with the right opportunities, the team can do a great job developing the areas that we could develop and then shine with the car on the track. The team has shown this year that it can do the job well. So now it is in our hands to make the best possible package for next year ", he adds.
The strategic decision with the engine
And he adds: "The fact that we froze the engine three years ago certainly made us lose some ground because our competitors have developed it. It was a strategic decision. It was related to the preparation of the new regulations and the new cars. I think it was the right decision with the resources we have."
"Obviously it is painful because we see some of our competitors progress. It is the same for the chassis. The gearbox may differ less directly, in performance, but they allow you to change the geometry of your car and evolve it to find more performance. So we suffer from this."
Alonso-Ocon, a sibling relationship
On the other hand, Budkowski is happy with the good relationship between Fernando Alonso and Esteban Ocon. "It is like a relationship between an older brother and a little brother that Fernando and Esteban have. Esteban admits Fernando for his career and his achievements, although at the beginning of the year he wanted to show him how fast he is and he did it on some occasions."
"And I think Fernando increased the respect he feels for Esteban when he saw how fast he could be. They are both fast and measured and observed, but they also get along very well. And, you know, in the two races in which we ended up on the podium they helped each other. "
Budkowski highlights how they managed to help each other in Hungary (Ocon won) and in Qatar (Alonso's podium). "They almost helped each other without the team asking. You know, Fernando knew exactly what he was doing in Budapest to help Esteban win that race.
And when Fernando jokingly asked Esteban ("tell him to defend like a lion") to help him in Qatar, Esteban knew exactly what the situation of the race was and he was very willing to do so. It's great to see. You have seen it on the track, and we see that every day in meetings, in preparation for the race. They respect each other, help each other and work together to achieve the best and obtain the best results for the team", he sentenced to close his speech.
