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Seeing the struggling Mercedes just up the road is a “carrot” for Alpine, who want to take the next step and match their race pace.

Mercedes are on a run of eight Constructors’ Championships on the bounce, while in seven of those eight seasons the Drivers’ title has also gone Mercedes’ way.

Lewis Hamilton has provided the vast majority of those, winning the title in 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020, while Nico Rosberg won the Drivers’ Championship in 2016.

But 2022 has not started on a positive note for Mercedes, who have been replaced by Ferrari in the battle at the front with Red Bull.

Mercedes now find themselves somewhat in their own bubble for race pace although in Saudi Arabia, Alpine proved a match for them in qualifying trim as Esteban Ocon pipped George Russell to P5 on the grid.

But since there is still a clear deficit to make up on race day, this is the carrot Alpine will chase.

“On race pace, watching the race in Saudi Arabia they are clearly ahead of us,” Alpine team principal Otmar Szafnauer told Motorsport.com.

“Maybe they had some issues in qualifying.

“We will push hard to try to compete with them. But sitting here now, it looks like they probably have a better race car.

“It’s a carrot to keep pushing. It will