Alpine has announced that Esteban Ocon will leave the team after the 2024 F1 season. This announcement comes just a few days after his collision with teammate Pierre Gasly at the Monaco Grand Prix, which displeased team management. While not solely due to the Monaco incident, it influenced their decision to part ways after 2025. Ocon has been with Alpine for five years, during which they achieved their first Grand Prix victory at the 2021 Hungarian Grand Prix and two additional podium finishes: second place at the 2020 Sakhir Grand Prix and third place at the 2023 Monaco Grand Prix.
Ocon said: “It’s been a significant period of my life to be racing at this team in Formula 1. While I’ve been here for five years as a full-time racing driver, my professional career started at Enstone back when I was a teenager, so it will always be a special place for me.
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“We have had some great moments together, some tough moments as well, and I am certainly grateful to everyone in the team for these memorable times. I will announce my plans very soon but, in the meantime, my full focus is on delivering on track for this team and having a successful remainder of the season.”
F1: Ocon and Alpine
Esteban Ocon joined the Alpine team in 2020, originally known as Renault. He clinched his maiden Formula 1 victory at the 2021 Hungarian Grand Prix and has also graced the podium at the 2020 Sakhir Grand Prix and the 2023 Monaco Grand Prix. In 2022, he secured a commendable sixth-place finish overall.
Alpine's CEO, Bruno Famin, has decided against retaining Ocon after evaluating the team's drivers for 2025. They will unveil the 2025 lineup later, while Ocon plans to reveal his future intentions soon. Despite Pierre Gasly's contract with Alpine ending this year, it's expected that he'll continue with the team until 2025.
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Team Principal Bruno Famin said: 'We would like to firstly thank Esteban for his commitment to the team for the past five years. During his time, we have celebrated some fantastic moments together, the best of which came at the 2021 Hungarian Grand Prix with a memorable race win.
'We still have 16 races to complete in 2024 together with a clear objective: to continue to work tirelessly as a team to push for the best on-track results. We wish Esteban the very best for the next chapter of his driving career when that moment comes.'
Although his Formula 1 future is uncertain, Ocon has a chance. Haas is eyeing him as a mentor for rookie Oliver Bearman next season. Additionally, if Carlos Sainz rejects an offer from Sauber/Audi, Ocon might become their preferred choice. Sainz is still torn between Audi and Williams.
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