Ryan Reynolds and Travis Kelce might face a tough start to the new F1 season with Alpine. Hollywood legend Reynolds and NFL superstar Kelce, who has hit the headlines for his relationship with Taylor Swift, both invested in the team last year.
They were amongst several big-name celebrities who purchased a 24 percent stake to dip their toe into the glamorous world of Formula 1. But they may not see instant results as the new season gets underway with concerns over their new car.
The team’s drivers, Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly, are braced for the worst-case scenario of being at the back of the grid as the season begins in Bahrain. After testing in the Middle East, many are concerned the new Alpine A524 might be the slowest car on the grid.
Ocon and Gasly are getting ready for a hard time in the first race. But they insist everyone should stay calm because the car hasn’t raced yet as they aim to build on a sixth-placed finish in last year’s constructors’ championship.
“If things don’t go to plan, obviously yes I’m prepared for that,” Ocon said to motorsport.com. “But we haven’t driven the car yet in full competition order.”
“We don’t know exactly. You guys [the media] are selling it [as] the worst. It is a possibility because we haven’t pulled it together with everyone else. But it’s not over. There are still going to be things to play for this year. And I need to keep on pushing. Because if you start that low, and with how you guys are speaking, I can quit and just exit the paddock right now. But no, that’s not who I am.”
Gasly admitted the team had missed some early targets and may have to play catch-up as the season progresses. “As a competitive team, no one is happy having a challenging start,” Gasly said.
“This wasn’t the idea. But this is now the situation that we are in and we are facing it together as a team.
“We’ve got to look forward and come up with the solutions because we know we have some solutions. Whether it’s short-term or medium-term, at the minute, that’s all I’m thinking about. There is an explanation of why we are here. At the end of the day, what matters right now, as of today, is how fast we’re going to be able to improve that car we have.”
“It’s not easy to drive! But ultimately, I don’t think the car itself or the behavior itself is really the main issue because it can be quite difficult to drive but still be competitive. At the end of the day you need the grip, you need the downforce. And we know that’s what we are mainly missing at the minute.”
