Alpine changes Ocon’s burnt-out engine before the race at Interlagos
Following the sprint race and the incident between the Alpine team-mates, which damaged both cars, Esteban Ocon's engine had to be replaced. Although he didn't lose any position, he started 16th.
During the sprint race of the Brazilian Grand Prix, Alonso and Ocon raced side by side, even making contact on two occasions. Alonso lost positions as he had to go to the pit to replace his wing, but the same happened to Ocon, who lost a lot of aerodynamic grip and dropped from 7th to 17th during the race. The cause? A huge hole in the Alpine’s chassis.
Once she reached the end of the sprint race, Esteban Ocon’s car even started to catch fire due to a fuel leakage. Although the fire extinguishers were brought out quickly enough, the engine sustained significant damage and cannot be used.
As a result, Alpine has decided to use an engine already installed in the A522 this season. Many parts of the engine have been changed, but no penalty has been applied. Ocon is starting from a very far position on the grid anyway, from 16th place.
