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Alpine's shock double podium in Brazil could lead to $30m payday

The sensational double podium for Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly In Brazil has been a big boost for Alpine for a variety of reasons, with its three-place jump in the constructors' standings potentially making a $30m difference at year's end.

Ocon and Gasly appeared at the front after deciding to delay their only pitstop in a rain-affected Interlagos race, which gave them track position to the cars that dove into the pits for fresh intermediates.

Then a well-timed red flag allowed the Alpine pair, as well as Red Bull Racing driver Max Verstappen, to change their tyres without losing time ahead of a rolling restart.

Ocon was initially able to pull away from Verstappen, but after another safety car, the Dutchman comfortably passed Ocon to win his first race in 11 grands prix.

There was arguably more elation at Alpine than at Red Bull, with Alpine having endured a torrid time this year, then suddenly saw its points tally triple thanks to Ocon's and Gasly's heroics as they joined Verstappen on the podium.

Esteban Ocon, Alpine F1 Team, 2nd position, Pierre Gasly, Alpine F1 Team, 3rd position, celebrate in Parc Ferme (Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images)

Eyes on the prize (money)

The silverware isn't just a major boost for the Enstone squad and incoming team principal Oliver Oakes, but it may also make a $30m difference in prize money as the team vaulted from ninth to sixth, past Haas F1 Team and RB with three rounds to go.

"For me, it's just a great result for the team. Across Enstone and Viry - that's a big result after the last couple of years, or even the beginning of this year," Oakes said.

"This does help us to keep the confidence going in the team. Since I arrived after the shutdown, I could see already the build-up to Austin with the sort of tempering of expectations, because it has been really hard to develop a car, especially in-season.

"In Austin, I was sort of full of praise for the fact we brought performance to the car and it was nice to back that up in another way with points in Mexico. And then I think here to see another improvement on that - it definitely does help.

"Credit to everyone at Enstone and Viry, because for them, it does mean a lot. You can see that. The drivers didn't put a foot wrong in tricky conditions. And also, strategy, those calls, everything. It was a good day."

Pierre Gasly, Alpine A524 (Photo by: Lubomir Asenov / Motorsport Images)

'Rival' team-mates

For Gasly it was the reward for the way he and Ocon - friends turned rivals turned team-mates - were able to work together to try and help Alpine get through its roughest patch in F1 yet.

"I think we can be very proud of the way we've pushed the team forward," Gasly said. "It's been tough but we've always tried to push the team in the right direction to never give up.

"And on a day like today, even when the car has misbehaved for the majority of the season, everyone tried to [bring their] A-game, and it was just a historical day for the team. So, I'm very proud of everyone working in the team to achieve such a performance."

Photos from Brazilian GP Qualifying & Race

Race winner Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
Lando Norris, McLaren MCL38
Frederic Vasseur, Team Principal and General Manager, Scuderia Ferrari
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB20
Pierre Gasly, Alpine A524
Liam Lawson, RB F1 Team VCARB 01, Carlos Sainz, Ferrari SF-24
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB20
George Russell, Mercedes F1 W15
Christian Horner, Team Principal Red Bull Racing
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari SF-24
Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin AMR24
Sergio Perez, Red Bull Racing RB20
Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes-AMG F1 Team
Hannah Schmitz, Red Bull Racing Principal Strategy Engineer
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB20
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
Lance Stroll, Aston Martin AMR24, crashes out
Oscar Piastri, McLaren MCL38
Pole man Lando Norris, McLaren F1 Team, celebrates after Qualifying
Yuki Tsunoda, RB F1 Team
Fans of Lando Norris, McLaren F1 Team, in a grandstand
Pole man Lando Norris, McLaren F1 Team, celebrates in Parc Ferme
Yuki Tsunoda, RB F1 Team
Lewis Hamilton drives Ayrton Senna's McLaren MP4/5B
Lewis Hamilton in the cockpit of the McLaren MP4/5B, with Viviane Senna, sister of Ayrton Senna, holding her brothers helmet
Lewis Hamilton drives Ayrton Senna's McLaren MP4/5B
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes-AMG F1 Team
Christian Horner, Team Principal, Red Bull Racing, on the grid
Oliver Bearman, Haas VF-24, arrives on the grid
Rubens Barrichello on the grid
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
Christian Horner, Team Principal Red Bull Racing, Stefano Domenicali, CEO of the Formula One Group
George Russell, Mercedes-AMG F1 Team, in the cockpit
Marshals lift Lance Stroll, Aston Martin AMR24, out of the gravel as Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin AMR24, passes
George Russell, Mercedes F1 W15, Lando Norris, McLaren MCL38, Esteban Ocon, Alpine A524, Yuki Tsunoda, RB F1 Team VCARB 01, Liam Lawson, RB F1 Team VCARB 01, the rest of the field at the start
Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes F1 W15, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB20, Franco Colapinto, Williams FW46, the remainder of the field on the opening lap
Oliver Bearman, Haas VF-24, battles with Valtteri Bottas, Stake F1 Team KICK Sauber C44
Sergio Perez, Red Bull Racing RB20, sprays mud as he tries to rejoin after a spin
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB20, Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes F1 W15
Zhou Guanyu, Stake F1 Team KICK Sauber C44, battles with Oliver Bearman, Haas VF-24
George Russell, Mercedes F1 W15, Lando Norris, McLaren MCL38
Liam Lawson, RB F1 Team VCARB 01
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB20, Charles Leclerc, Ferrari SF-24
Liam Lawson, RB F1 Team VCARB 01
Oliver Bearman, Haas VF-24, spins in front of Nico Hulkenberg, Haas VF-24
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB20
Yuki Tsunoda, RB F1 Team VCARB 01
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari SF-24, makes a pit stop
Lando Norris, McLaren MCL38
Yuki Tsunoda, RB F1 Team VCARB 01
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari SF-24, battles with Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB20
Lando Norris, McLaren MCL38, makes a pit stop
Marshals push Nico Hulkenberg, Haas VF-24, back on track
Sergio Perez, Red Bull Racing RB20
Pierre Gasly, Alpine A524
Pierre Gasly, Alpine A524
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari SF-24
Pierre Gasly, Alpine
Race winner Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
Christian Horner, Team Principal, Red Bull Racing, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
Pierre Gasly, Alpine
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, 1st position, celebrates on the podium
Esteban Ocon, Alpine F1 Team, 2nd position, Pierre Gasly, Alpine F1 Team, 3rd position, lift the trophy in celebration
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB20
Pierre Gasly, Alpine F1 Team, 3rd position, Esteban Ocon, Alpine F1 Team, 2nd position, on the podium
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, 1st position, celebrates on the podium
Pierre Wache, Technical Director Red Bull Racing celebrates on the podium
Pierre Gasly, Alpine
Esteban Ocon, Alpine F1 Team, 2nd position, celebrates with his trophy on the podium
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, Pierre Wache, Technical Director Red Bull Racing, Esteban Ocon, Alpine
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, 1st position, Esteban Ocon, Alpine F1 Team, 2nd position, Pierre Gasly, Alpine F1 Team, 3rd position, on the podium
Esteban Ocon, Alpine
Esteban Ocon, Alpine, Pierre Gasly, Alpine
Fans of Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
Fan of Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing with a tattoo
Esteban Ocon, Alpine, Pierre Gasly, Alpine
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing celebrates with team members
Esteban Ocon, Alpine, Pierre Gasly, Alpine
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
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