Although both titles have already been awarded, there is an important fight that is heating up the upper middle part of the table. The fourth, in fact, is in the midst of a continuous exchange of positions between McLaren e Alpine. The latter is currently in front but has scored 17 points less than the Woking team in the last 5 races.
Friction on and off the track
The rivalry also intensified in the summer off the track with the Question Plates. The Australian, winner of F2 in 2021, had been announced as an official Alpine driver for the 2023 season, only to then deny everything himself and be hired by McLaren.
McLaren plays the part of the underdog
Norris & Co have often leveraged the overwhelming superiority of the Anglo-French car compared to his own, not knowing how to explain how they are still fighting for fourth position. Although the difference is not as clear as described, there is no doubt that the Alpine has something more in terms of performance.
Despite this, Ocon and Alonso often finished behind Norris, who in fact is on 111 points against the French's 82 and the Spanish's 71. To slow down McLaren are certainly only 35 points Ricciardo. The Australian is no longer the driver who worried Mercedes and Ferrari a few seasons ago, even if in Mexico he showed that class, unlike form, is forever.
Alpine watches from above, but with caution
On the Alpine side, almost with too much superiority, they think they already have fourth place in their pocket. The sports director Alan Stays in fact, he underlined how the Enstone team is working more for reduce the gap to Mercedes than to definitively detach from McLaren.
Despite all this talk, the difference between the two teams is only 7 points and two rounds from the end of the season the result can be confirmed or overturned for the umpteenth time. Who will win? We will only find out by living.
