Ocon, Gasly hail “incredible” double Alpine podium after “tough season”

Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly described an unlikely double-podium for Alpine in a dramatic, rain-hit Brazilian Grand Prix as “incredible” after “such a tough season” for the French team.

In a difficult season for the team, which has seen a number of management changes, plus the controversial decision for Renault to cut off it’s F1 engine plans for 2026, Ocon finished second while Gasly was third, in a much-needed boost for beleaguered Alpine.

The haul of points moved the team ahead of Haas and RB in the lucrative constructors’ championship and they now sit 37 points behind Aston Martin.

Paying homage to a quote from Brazilian racing legend Ayrton Senna, who once said “you cannot overtake 15 cars in sunny weather, but you can when it’s raining”, Ocon, said: “What a day that was.

“After the difficult season, it’s really nice to be driving around here and having the performance a bit levelled out because of the rain.

“Someone very important to all of us said a long time ago that in the rain the cars are almost equal, and that phrase didn’t age at all.

“I’m very happy to be on the podium. I think it’s been awesome.

“The car was extremely difficult in the dry and I was really at ease when it started to rain this morning and last night.

“I already wanted to get some laps in the rain. I love it here when it rains and today has brought a special race for us.”

Meanwhile, Gasly added that suggestions the team could score a double-podium seemed extremely unlikely earlier in the season.

Ocon led to the restart, where he was overtaken by Verstappen, but Gasly held position to beat Russell into third.

He said: “It’s incredible for the whole team. We have had such a tough season, we’ve struggled to score points. And in these conditions, everything was possible but we did not believe it until the end, two cars on the podium.

“I don’t think anyone would have got that on that bingo card! It’s just fantastic.

“I’m absolutely buzzing right now. I’m just so proud of the team. To overcome such a tough season.

“It would have been too easy to give up, but we never gave up. And here we are, both cars, P2 and P3 and a lot of points for the team. Everybody should be very proud today.”