P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Alpine knew Bahrain was going to be a struggle, but last on the grid has to hurt. So what’s gone so wrong for the team? Edd Straw explains…
Alpine’s Bahrain Grand Prix weekend started with low expectations of being eliminated in Q1 during qualifying, but the disappointing 19th and 20th place for Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly was a tough outcome. The lack of pace was surprising as neither driver faced major issues during qualifying. Ocon was 0.884s off the fastest time, while Gasly was 0.155s behind his teammate due to traffic on his outlap. The Alpine A542 is facing weight-related challenges, exceeding the minimum weight limit and affecting performance. The weight issue, alongside problems with traction and understeer, has put the team in a tough position for the early races. Upgrades are expected to address these issues and improve the car’s competitiveness in future events.
