Ocon says he and Alonso ‘complement each other’

Esteban Ocon has praised the relationship he shares with his Alpine team-mate Fernando Alonso and says the two drivers “complement each other.”

The duo are heading into their second season as team-mates after Alonso returned to the sport for the 2021 campaign.

Despite the 15-year age gap between the two drivers, their relationship has blossomed and Ocon’s surprise win in Hungary last season demonstrated that.

The Frenchman’s victory was in no small part thanks to Alonso who used every bit of his 21 years’ worth of experience to protect his team-mate.

With Lewis Hamilton gaining on Alonso who sat in third, the Spaniard produced some excellent defensive driving to slow the Briton and allow Ocon, who was leading, to maintain the gap.

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The Frenchman was able to hold off Sebastian Vettel in second and celebrated his win by being lifted into the air by Alonso after the race.

Find yourself a friend who lifts you up like @alo_oficial #HungarianGP #F1 @OconEsteban pic.twitter.com/rtFjSYvbCt

— Formula 1 (@F1) August 1, 2021

That good relationship has continued and now as the team prepares for the 2022 season, Ocon says the two are working in tandem in order to get the most out of the Alpine car.

“We complement each other,” the Alpine driver told French TV show Canal Sports Club. “We don’t give each other advice, we work together.

“If I try a setup on the car and it works, there will be no secrets. It will be on the table, we will discuss it.

“If we have a question for each