Esteban Ocon revealed Alpine that rotated which driver holds a weight disadvantage in recent Formula 1 rounds as his car was a “a couple of kilos” heavier in Canada.
Alpine entered the season braced to be on the back foot with a revised car concept, but the team’s struggles were worse than anticipated with an uncompetitive A524.
The Enstone-based squad’s car having increased exposed carbon at the launch led to concerns that it was above the minimum weight limit and that became the case.
But while Alpine introduced a new lightweight chassis at the Chinese Grand Prix to remove the excess bulk, Ocon has disclosed that weight continues to be a problem.
The Frenchman divulged both he and team-mate Pierre Gaslt have been trading who accepts the hit, with Ocon blaming his marginal Q1 exit in Montreal on the issue.
“We have a difference in terms of weight between cars as well, since a couple of events, something we will rotate and that will be on Pierre’s car soon as well,” he said.
“But at the moment it basically adds up to the list of today and that’s the reason why we’re not able to go through.”
However, Ocon, who has been confirmed to be departing Alpine at the end of this season, rebounded with an impressive drive to rise from 18th on the grid up to 10th.
Ocon was not enthused with Alpine’s decision to not swap the cars back again at the end, though, having given up ninth spot to allow Gasly to chase Daniel Ricciardo.
“No, it is unexplainable, that one,” he raged.
“I’ve always respected the instructions that I’ve been given, as a driver, and I’ve done that once more. I’m the nice guy!
“I’ve done my part of the job – the team hasn’t, honestly. It is not fair, on that race.
“So, I’m very frustrated with how things have been played out. I guess there are a lot of reasons, so we’ll let the benefit of the doubt go on.”
Alpine boss Bruno Famin temperated talk that an intra-team meltdown was unravelling, citing that utilising team orders will never be a popular choice with one driver.
“There’s no real friction,” he told Autosport. “They are drivers, and when you ask one driver, whoever it is, to give his position to his team-mate, generally it’s not so easy.
“But we did it. We did it for the sake of the team on purpose.
“I think Esteban was fighting a bit with the energy management, consuming quite a lot of energy and then we had two Haas [cars] on the back.
“Esteban was slowing everybody, it was quite obvious on TV, and the risk was to have the two Haas cars passing us. And that’s why we gave that instruction.
“They are saying things at the end of the race, but the day after we’re on a different mind.”
