Esteban Ocon to make rally debut in Monte Carlo with Alpine

Alpine

Ocon to make rally debut in Monte Carlo with Alpine

Frenchman will drive A110 in first two special stages

Ian Parkes

Wednesday 20 January 2021 15:40

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Esteban Ocon will make his rally debut this week when he takes part in the opening two special stages of the Monte Carlo event.

In his first official outing as an Alpine F1 driver following the team's recent rebranding from Renault, the Frenchman will get behind the wheel of an A110S sports car on Thursday [Jan 21].

Following a private test run to fully understand the car, Ocon will then tackle SS1, a 20.58km route from Saint-Disdier to Corps and SS2 between Saint-Maurice and Saint-Bonnet 70 minutes before the official WRC drivers begin their quest in the 89th running of the event.

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Ocon will have his race number 31 on the A110S which will feature its traditional iconic blue livery.

Ocon said: “This is a fantastic opportunity and I certainly cannot wait to experience Rallye Monte-Carlo for the first time.

"It’s a legendary event, a jewel in the calendar of motorsport and I know how special being part of it will be.

"I’m looking forward to driving the beautiful Alpine A110S. I had my first taste of the A110 in October with three laps of the Nordschleife.

"It was great that day, very comfortable and agile to drive. It’s born for this kind of challenge with the tight hairpins and mountain passes.

"Rallying has actually always been a dream for me, so driving the A110S in Monte-Carlo is a brilliant way to begin the year.”

Alpine has a five-strong entry in the RGT class during the rally, with Cédric Robert, Emmanuel Guigou, Philippe Baffoun, Pierre Ragues and Raphaël Astier behind the A110 Rally cars across the four days.

Alpine cars managing director Patrick Marinoff said: “This is our first activation bringing together Alpine Cars and the Alpine F1 Team with Esteban’s participation in the 2021 Rallye Monte-Carlo.

"Alpine has a very memorable history in rallying, especially here in Monte-Carlo. So, this is the perfect place for our F1 driver to inhale some of the brand´s finest history and at the same time enjoy the agility and exhilarating driving performance of the A110 on the iconic mountain passes it was made for.

"Alpine is well-represented at this event and we look forward, not only to Esteban’s stage runs but also how the weekend itself unfolds for our cars.”