Alpine drama as Gasly fumes at late team order to swap cars 

Gasly was instructed by his team to let Ocon by in the closing stages of Sunday’s race at Suzuka, and, having initially protested the requested, he obliged at the final corner of the last lap. 

Esteban Ocon finished ninth while Gasly crossed the line in 10th, with the latter gesticulating angrily after crossing the line. 

“We don’t have to say anything now, we’ll discuss it after,” Gasly’s race engineer Karel Loos told him on the team radio. 

Alpine had swapped Gasly and Ocon earlier in the race in order to let Gasly have a go at catching Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso. 

But when he was unable to do so, Gasly was told to reverse the positions back. 

While Ocon was informed of the plan, Gasly claims it was not discussed in Alpine’s pre-race meeting. 

"It wasn't discussed before the race," Gasly said. "It was clear with the strategy they had planned that at some point Esteban would undercut me, but my pace was faster and I would have to pass him back.

"I overtook him anyway on the race track because I had fresher tyres.

"It was never said that we would need to invert the positions again because I started ahead and I was always in front.

"As a team 10th and ninth or ninth and 10th is the same, but it was definitely not something I expected. And it's not something I really understand as well as I was the leading car, so we'll talk about it.

"I'm behind the wheel and my job is to go as fast as possible. I'm giving everything I can. Why give up a position, for what reason…"

The Frenchman added: "Today I put the team in front of myself and that's what I will do anyway. 

“I think we did a good strategy as a team we did the best job we could with both cars.

"I don't understand the team's decision, but I respected it and let Esteban pass, but in the end it's three points for the team and that's what we will have to look at."