---
title: "Gasly: Ocon ‘mature enough’ to put differences aside at Alpine"
canonical: "https://readmotorsport.com/2022/10/15/gasly-ocon-mature-enough-to-put-differences-aside-at-alpine/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Hamilton Lyndon-Griffiths"
section: "F1 News"
published: "2022-10-15T10:50:33Z"
modified: "2022-10-15T10:50:34Z"
---

# Gasly: Ocon ‘mature enough’ to put differences aside at Alpine

Pierre Gasly says his strained relationship with Esteban Ocon won’t be a problem when the two become Formula 1 team-mates at Alpine next year.

After months of speculation, Gasly’s move to Alpine was announced over the Japanese Grand Prix weekend where he will partner former karting rival Ocon in 2023.

The pair, who both hail from Normandy, were close friends before their relationship turned sour as they progressed into single-seaters.

When Gasly was first linked with the Alpine seat, it was felt their past tensions would make it too difficult for them to work together, but Gasly believes he and Ocon see this as an opportunity to “clear” their past differences.

“I think it’s more than talking about the relationship,” Gasly said, as quoted by Motorsport.com. “It’s talking about the odds of us being teammates when we were six years old and racing in karting on a small track next to our hometown.

“Under the snow, there was no one that turned up, and we were the only ones that turned up doing free laps, getting in the track, trying to warm us up.

“At that time it was only a dream to get to F1, and we knew that even the chance for one of us to make it there was pretty much impossible.

“But to be now racing in the same team in F1 for a French manufacturer is just an incredible story.

“We have had our ups and downs in our relationship, but I do believe this is also an opportunity for us to clear a bit what’s happened in the past, and I’m definitely not worried.

“We are mature enough and intelligent enough to know what is best for us, and mainly most important for the team.”

Gasly and Ocon have one grand prix win a piece after their victories in 2020 and 2021 respectively, and with Alpine aiming to be challenging at the front of the field, Gasly says both understand the importance of working together for the good of the team’s ambitions.

“At the end of the day, we all have the common target to be fighting at the front, we all want podiums, we all want to win, and we know for that we’ve got to work together for the team, and push the team forward,” he said.

“That’s why I’m not naturally concerned about it, because it’s for our own good to work together. We both know it very well, and we are both smart enough and mature enough now to know that.”

Asked if he had talked to Ocon since signing the deal, Gasly said: “Not really, until it was signed and all sealed, and we had the opportunity to see each other.

“We will have time to spend some time together, and I’m definitely not worried, it’s not a concern at all for the coming year.”