While the two teams had been locked in a tight fight for the best-of-the-rest fourth spot behind Red Bull, Ferrari and Mercedes for much of the campaign, over recent races it is Alpine that has stretched its legs to edge clear.
An aggressive development push with its A522 has helped Fernando Alonso and Esteban Ocon extend its advantage to 24 points, and now it appears favourite to keep its spot with more upgrades to come.
