Alpine make aggressive vow ahead of 2023 F1 season
We are gearing up for an unforgettable 2023 Formula 1 season. All drivers and teams are busy making their finishing touches as the first race kicks off on Sunday, 5 March. Popular teams such as Red Bull, Mercedes and Ferrari are voraciously preparing for what is set to be a belter of a season.
So, what can we expect? Well, the stakes are naturally high, with many saying Max Verstappen will walk away with his third consecutive driver’s championship title, while others say Lewis Hamilton has just enough in him to win the title for the 8th time.
Then there is Charles Leclerc. Ferrari’s youngster did not have the best time last season. Leclerc was left frustrated for most of the season with countless car and management issues. And when it comes to the other teams, everyone is in it to win it, especially Alpine. The team has promised an aggressive performance ahead of the opener.
Betting on your favorite team
If the online sports betting world is anything to go by, Grand Prix betting is going to be a whole lot of fun this 2023. People all over are busy putting together and looking into their favorite Formula 1 odds for a chance to win big.
Some top contenders in the betting world include Max Verstappen to win the driver’s championship at -160, with Lewis Hamilton at +400. Alpine teammates Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly are +2500 and +50 000, respectively. For the constructor’s title, Alpine is +15 000. Let’s have a look at Alpine and what they have planned for this season.
Allpine car reveal
In mid-February, Alpine revealed their 2023 car to the world. The A523 has come with many improvements compared to its predecessor, the A522. The team used the winter months to produce a car that is capable of winning races, not only once, but on multiple occasions. Visually, the car is quite striking and features Alpine’s iconic colors of blue and pink. CEO Laurent Rossi said, “It’s always a feeling of immense pride when we officially unveil our car for the upcoming season. Since Alpine joined the Formula 1 grid in 2021, I’ve been eager to see continued progress and tick off each season and each milestone as they come.”
Team Principal Otmar Szafnauer is at the helm for a second year. Last season, he guided the team to a fourth-place finish overall in the constructors’ championship. Together with the technical director Matt Harman, they outlined the team’s design philosophy that focused on new improvements for the A523. A large emphasis was placed on the chassis and the power unit to improve overall performance.
Coming in aggressively
It was the technical director Matt Harman who said that the team has an aggressive development plan for this season. So, what does it include? What we saw last season were some instances of unreliability, especially for Alonso, so this is where we would expect to see notable improvements. Team principal Otmar Szafnauer also reiterated the issues the team experienced last year. And a big one they faced was engine freezing.
Matt Harman said, “We were very pleased with our development program in 2022, and we created a clear, well-structured plan to bring upgrades regularly, along with bigger and more effective updates at certain points during the year. In 2023, we aim to be even more aggressive.”
Furthermore, the team is very much looking at setting itself up as a force. Their focus lies in aerodynamic and mechanical upgrades that clearly define their vision and plan for the year.
Without revealing too much, Matt further said that they are excited to show what the team has to offer and what they are capable of for this new season. Some of the highlights include upgrades to the front and rear suspension, front wing and flow structures, enhanced bodywork concept, the rear and beam wing element and so much more.
The Alpine F1 drivers
Esteban Ocon first joined Formula 1 in 2016, racing for Manor Racing. In 2020, Ocon joined BWT Alpine. He has shown enormous potential and is geared up and prepared for the new season. Ocon recently revealed that Alpine is in a much better place.
Entering his third year with the team, Ocon is confident that the team will progress well. He revealed this on the second day of car testing on the weekend of 25 February. Ocon also added that he and his new teammate, Pierre Gasly, complete each other. Signaling a new partnership that we are going to enjoy watching.
Pierre Gasly is the newly appointed driver for the Alpine team. He first started his professional racing career with Scuderia AlphaTauri, formerly Toro Rosso, in 2017.
Gasly scored his first points by placing 4th. Throughout the years, he has raced for Red Bull, as well. Gasly said this new season is a fresh start for him and that he is convinced that Alpine is on top form this year.
