Otmar Szafnauer delivers verdict after epic duel between Fernando Alonso & Esteban Ocon

Alpine Team Principal Otmar Szafnauer has said offered his reflections on the epic battle that played out between Fernando Alonso and Esteban Ocon in Saudi Arabia.

The early entertainment in the race around the Jeddah circuit was provided by the two Alpine drivers, as Alonso and Ocon squabbled lap after lap for position.

Indeed, in the end, it was Alonso who emerged victorious with Ocon told to hold position after Valtteri Bottas in the Alfa Romeo had closed up on them.

Ocon had the last laugh, however, as he earned a P6 whilst Fernando had to retire and, post-race, Szafnauer said that he was happy with what he saw from the pair, and that the team had told them they were allowed to race at the beginning of the Grand Prix.

“It was fine, it was clean.

“It’s what the fans want to see. And we told them at the beginning, we’ll allow them to race.

“We were losing a little bit more time than anticipated. That’s a little bit because of the track-specific stuff here and a little bit because the cars can follow each other easier now, which was the aim of the new regulations.

“And because of it, if you can follow easier, you can start overtaking each other one lap after the next.”

It was undoubtedly great racing from the two Alpine drivers and a further nod to the new regulations seemingly working, as both could follow each other for successive laps without worrying too much about turbulent air.

Szafnauer must have been a little nervous that the two were going to take each other off but, in the end, it was clean and certainly a spectacle to enjoy for fans.