Formula 1 | Alpine chief: ‘You have to be a better team’

The surprise victory of Esteban Ocon and Albin in the Formula 1 race in Hungary also satisfied CEO Marcin Budkowski, after the team was unable to take advantage of good chances to win.

“It was an opportunity that presented itself for us. We were there to take advantage of it. The whole team did their bit to win this,” Budkowski said on Motorsport’s ‘Week with Will Buxton’. “.

This is an improvement over previous races where chaos reigned. “On previous occasions, like at Monza last year or even in Baku this year, we weren’t there to take advantage of these opportunities because we weren’t in a good enough position or fast enough or because we made some operational mistakes,” he says.

Budkowski: We are aware of the circumstances of the victory

But in Budapest, the French took advantage of the circumstances. But Budkovsky does not allow himself to move to heights. “We know we won not because we beat everyone and the faster cars around us, but because we were a little lucky with the conditions,” admits Pole.

That doesn’t make the win any less valuable, after all, it was the first success for the Enstone-based team since 2013. At the time, Kimi Raikkonen won the Australian Grand Prix in the black and gold race car, which was still called Lotus.

Budkowski hopes the victory will give a boost to the coming months when development of the 2022 car at Enstone and the new power unit at Viry enters the final phase.

Budkowski: The Alps must get better

“We are working hard for next year, because now we have a preconceived notion. On the podiums last year, victory this year; we want more, but we know we have to be better in order to achieve more on a regular basis. We have to be a better team, And we have to design and build a better car.”

The Alps are not satisfied with the season so far. “It is disappointing that the team is doing so much better this season, you can see it in the factories, but that has not been reflected in the lap times. I hope that will be the case next year and I am confident it will be, because we want more. We want more, Budkowski says.

The interaction between Ocon and Fernando Alonso, whose victory should have been possible through his defensive campaign against Lewis Hamilton, was an inspiration to the entire team.

Ocon and Alonso as role models

“The drivers showed us how important teamwork is for the whole team on the track. I think everyone here knows we are better than the others, and that feels great. When the drivers are on the road as solo fighters like that if you can create something and work together, then we can all, and that leads to bigger things,” he looks forward.

Then the team enjoyed the victory with pleasure on site. “Sunday it was late at night and we celebrated a little victory,” he said. After returning to Enstone, Budkowski said, “He spent part of the morning walking around the factory and congratulating everyone on their victory because it was a real victory for the team on the track.”