Gasly makes Ocon claim that suggests future Alpine disharmony

Pierre Gasly has hinted that he feels Alpine team-mate Esteban Ocon did not follow the agreed 'rules of engagement' in their Austrian Grand Prix battle. 

On Lap 34, Gasly complained that Ocon was taking too long to pass the Aston Martin of Fernando Alonso as the two made their way back through the field following pit-stops. 

At Turn 1 on the next lap, Ocon got past Alonso, and then blocked the two-time champion to the inside on the run to Turn 3 - allowing Gasly to also pass the Aston.

However on the exit of Turn 3, Gasly was forced wide and over the sausage kerb by Ocon, with the former sweeping around the outside of Turn 4 on Lap 41 to take eighth place. 

In the end, Gasly would finish in 10th place with Ocon, who is leaving at the end of the year in 12th. 

It is not the first time in recent races that the duo have come close on track, with Ocon receiving a rebuke from team principal Bruno Famin following the first-lap contact in Monaco.

Like all teams, Alpine has 'rules of engagement' for its drivers when they race wheel-to-wheel, with 2020 Italian GP winner Gasly believing Ocon did not follow them.

"It was intense, and some would say a bit too much," Gasly told media including RacingNews365. 

"I'm sure that the [team] didn't like the fact that I had to run wide as I wasn't really given any space but it is never easy, right?

"At the end of the day, I had to find another way to get past him, which I did but I was expecting to be given slightly more space. 

“I think [the rules of engagement] were as clear as it could be before the race, but I can only control what happens in my car, I can’t control his car, it is what it is.

"It’s something we’ll have to discuss between us, but we’ve already discussed it and we’ll see if there’s anything else we can do."

Alpine slowly improving

In claiming a point for 10th place, Gasly extended his points scoring streak to four races as Alpine continues to recover from a poor start to the season. 

Gasly was impressed by the ability of the team to score points in Austria - a track vastly different to those that preceded it on the calendar.

"Apart from that, it was a good race, we managed it pretty well," he added. 

"The tyres were quite gone in the end, but I tried to get close to Daniel [Ricciardo], but we got to the DRS of [Kevin] Magnussen and so I couldn't make a move.

"But looking at the positives, this is our fourth straight race in the points - Monaco, Canada, Spain and here which are very different tracks.

"We seem to be finding the consistency which is important and we've got to keep that momentum going.

"We have some upgrades coming later on in the year, so I am pleased with the small steps forward."