Sky F1 pit lane reporter Ted Kravitz said he witnessed Alpine team principal Bruno Famin summoning reserve driver Jack Doohan for a talk in Monaco after threatening to exact “retribution” on Esteban Ocon for his collision with Pierre Gasly.
Ocon lifted Gasly’s sister Alpine off the ground during a first lap tangle in Monaco as he was trying to overtake his team-mate at the Portier – it’s fair to say this did not go over well with Famine.
Could Alpine bench Esteban Ocon for the Canadian Grand Prix?
In an interview with French broadcaster Canal Plus, Famine hinted at “consequences” that could befall Ocon, who was forced out of the race over the incident.
Kravitz wondered who they might be after seeing Famine call up Alpine reserve driver Doohan for a chat.
“We’re heading to Alpine because the news is out that Esteban Ocon almost beat his teammate Pierre Gasly,” Kravitz said on his show “Ted’s Notebook.”
“Ocon ran up the inside of Gasly at Portier, flipping Gasly into the air. Ocon’s car was taken to the garage and retired with broken suspension.”
“The stewards gave him a five-place grid penalty for the next race in Canada, or who knows when that may be. We’ll get to that later. He was loudly reprimanded by Bruno Famin.”
“Gasly ran 10th and even though he was frustrated with that, Gasly got points today. Well done, Pierre Gasly, he ran 10th and stayed 10th.”
“Famin said he would make the decision and Ocon tweeted ‘it is entirely my responsibility’, but the team won’t even allow me to discuss with Bruno Famin what the direct consequences of this will be for Esteban Ocon.”
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“I saw Famine on the roof of the pit building at Alpine. He had called reserve driver Jack Doohan over to talk to him. They talked – I don’t know what they talked about – and Jack Doohan walked away and walked down the stairs.”
“Now, I know it’s not exactly the same as Woodward and Bernstein and Watergate, but it’s all I know.
“Does that mean Famine is going to bench Esteban Ocon against Canada as punishment for doing something he told him not to do? Probably. Are they going to put Doohan in the car? Probably.”
“If that happened, how would Esteban Ocon’s camp feel? I think it would be pretty bad. Does that just mean that Esteban Ocon’s penalty is postponed until the next race he competes in, which is the race after Canada, which is Spain? Yes.
“But that’s all I can tell you. I’m sorry I can’t be more clear. But yes, things are moving forward. Things are moving forward in the Alpine team.”
Alex Albon’s ninth place in the Williams race in Monaco dropped Alpine to ninth in the constructors’ standings.
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