Alpine ‘careful’ with Alonso, Ocon relationship – Prost

(GMM) Alpine must be “very careful” as it manages the dynamic between its two drivers, according to team advisor and F1 legend Alain Prost.

According to the 66-year-old quadruple world champion, a “psychological game” already emerged at the Enstone based team last year, when Esteban Ocon was paired with the now departed Daniel Ricciardo.

“It is normal for a psychological game to arise between the two drivers,” Prost told Le Figaro. “There is always a driver who takes the upper hand in the battle.

“When one driver finishes one grand prix better, and the other driver is better in the next one, then things go well. It is in balance,” said the famous Frenchman.

Prost said that at present, there are no such problems between Ocon and his new teammate, two-time world champion Fernando Alonso – who has a reputation for obliterating teammates both on and off the track.

“If it goes as Ocon experienced with Ricciardo last year – that one of the drivers continuously performs better – it becomes more difficult,” Prost said.

“It is important for the drivers to work together, as the atmosphere within the team is extremely important for performance,” he added.

“You have to be very careful about that because problems between the drivers can kill you as a team.”