Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon remain "bitter rivals' despite recent public appearances
The illusion of a truce
Despite recent public appearances suggesting a thaw in their famously frosty relationship, Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon are reportedly still not on speaking terms. The French veterans, whose turbulent partnership at Alpine defined the team's 2023 and 2024 seasons, remain "bitter rivals" behind closed doors.
Speculation of a reconciliation arose during the enforced break in the Formula 1 season when Gasly and Ocon were shown attending a Paris Saint-Germain Champions League quarterfinal fixture against Liverpool. The pair were joined by Red Bull driver Isack Hadjar, and the trio later appeared together on a Canal Plus show breaking down the season so far.
However, according to a report from Sport Bild, the PSG outing was not a coordinated reunion. The drivers did not attend the match together by choice; rather, both were independently invited by the Ligue 1 club. In private, the two simply "don't speak to each other."
A fractured Alpine legacy
The tension between Gasly and Ocon is deeply rooted, but it was thrust into the global spotlight during their tenure as teammates at Alpine. Their partnership was marred by two high-profile incidents: a disastrous crash in Australia that ended both of their races, and another in Monaco that left both cars with damage.
The friction ultimately contributed to Ocon leaving the Alpine team early at the end of 2024. His premature departure allowed Jack Doohan to make an early debut, while Ocon received permission to test for Haas in return.
Since the split, their respective fortunes have diverged sharply. Alpine dropped to the bottom of the standings in 2025 just after Ocon left. However, the team has seized the opportunity presented by the 2026 regulation changes. Gasly currently sits an impressive eighth in the championship with 15 points.
In stark contrast, Ocon has struggled to find his footing at Haas. Despite Haas and Alpine being on a similar level, Ocon has managed just one point so far. His future is now uncertain after team principal Ayao Komatsu publicly demanded more.
The origins of the feud
The animosity between the two drivers is far from a recent development. While they were once friends during their karting careers, their relationship fractured around 18 years ago.
Speaking on an earlier season of Drive to Survive, Gasly revealed that the feud dates back to 2008. The breaking point occurred when Gasly was disqualified from a race following an intense battle in which he had originally passed his friend on the last lap.
Reflecting on the breakdown of their friendship, Gasly offered a blunt assessment of the situation: "I have given Esteban many, many chances to make this relationship work, but if someone doesn’t want to be friends, that’s fine with me."
Simone Scanu
He’s a software engineer with a deep passion for Formula 1 and motorsport. He co-founded Formula Live Pulse to make live telemetry and race insights accessible, visual, and easy to follow.