close global

Welcome to GPFans

CHOOSE YOUR COUNTRY

  • NL
  • GB
  • GB

Are you a F1 Fan? Follow GP Fans

Edition

NL GB IT ES-MX US
Esteban Ocon's Alpine with destroyed sidepod in Bahrain practice

Alpine blame "defective prototype" for Ocon sidepod explosion

Esteban Ocon's Alpine with destroyed sidepod in Bahrain practice — Photo: © LAT Images

Alpine blame "defective prototype" for Ocon sidepod explosion

The team reverted back to an old-spec part for the rest of the weekend

Google Make us your Google favorite

Alpine CEO Laurent Rossi has blamed the sidepod explosion suffered by Esteban Ocon during Bahrain Grand Prix practice on a "possibly defective prototype" component.

The season got off to the worst possible start for Ocon as the right-hand sidepod of the A522 ripped itself away from its fixings just seven minutes into the first practice session of the year, leaving a shower of debris behind him.

The French manufacturer had arrived at the first round of the year with an update to its sidepods but was immediately forced to revert to the old-specification parts as a precaution.

New team principal Otmar Szafnauer initially explained it was likely to be a "one-off" issue but having looked over the problem, Rossi said: "It looks like we are angling towards a possibly defective prototype part.

"The problem is, the piece we suspect is defective, we didn't recover it, it is somewhere on the track. We are pretty sure it is the problem."

Ahead of the race at the Bahrain International Circuit, Fernando Alonso qualified eighth, with Ocon lining up 11th.

Addressing the A522's performance overall, Rossi insisted he was "pleasantly surprised versus the last report from two weeks ago".

He added: "At the same time, we have been working towards that so I am not that surprised and I think the two cars are in a slightly different position at the moment so let's see."

Related

More F1 news

Latest F1 news

Christian Horner says he has not missed F1 'politics and bulls***'

Christian Horner says he has not missed F1 'politics and bulls***'

  • 1 minute ago
F1 star stung by late FIA penalty in bizarre ruling at British Grand Prix

F1 star stung by late FIA penalty in bizarre ruling at British Grand Prix

  • 1 hour ago
Christian Horner breaks silence on 'brutal' Red Bull F1 exit

Christian Horner breaks silence on 'brutal' Red Bull F1 exit

  • 2 hours ago
Five suspects arrested after F1 legend injured in robbery at his home

Five suspects arrested after F1 legend injured in robbery at his home

  • 3 hours ago
F1 boss reveals summer break deadline to restore cancelled races

F1 boss reveals summer break deadline to restore cancelled races

  • Today 15:55
George Russell baffled by British Grand Prix crash

George Russell baffled by British Grand Prix crash

  • Today 13:55

Just in

20:57
Christian Horner says he has not missed F1 'politics and bulls***'
19:42
F1 star stung by late FIA penalty in bizarre ruling at British Grand Prix
18:43
Christian Horner breaks silence on 'brutal' Red Bull F1 exit
17:30
Five suspects arrested after F1 legend injured in robbery at his home
15:55
F1 boss reveals summer break deadline to restore cancelled races
F1 news

Recommended by the editors

Christian Horner breaks silence on 'brutal' Red Bull F1 exit Christian Horner

Christian Horner breaks silence on 'brutal' Red Bull F1 exit

2 hours ago
F1 Silly Season: Max Verstappen, McLaren and every driver move tracked F1 Silly Season

F1 Silly Season: Max Verstappen, McLaren and every driver move tracked

Today 13:48
Lewis Hamilton 'convinced' he would lose F1 podium at Silverstone before dramatic FIA announcement Lewis Hamilton

Lewis Hamilton 'convinced' he would lose F1 podium at Silverstone before dramatic FIA announcement

Today 12:25
F1 British Grand Prix 2026 results: Final classification after late penalties applied F1 British Grand Prix

F1 British Grand Prix 2026 results: Final classification after late penalties applied

Today 08:13
Ontdek het op Google Play
x