Which team for Esteban Ocon in Formula 1 in 2025?

Since the beginning of the year, the shocking announcements on the transfer market have been following one another in F1. Accustomed to experiencing summers punctuated by significant announcements, the paddock is experiencing an early silly season in 2024.

Even before the first Grand Prix of the season, Ferrari had stirred up the sports world by announcing the arrival of Lewis Hamilton in its ranks instead of Carlos Sainz in 2025, leaving an empty seat at Mercedes that is still not filled at the time of writing these lines. A few weeks later, Sauber revealed the identity of one of its two drivers for the next season as Nico Hülkenberg, as part of the preparation for Audi’s arrival in 2026.

The last Monaco Grand Prix added a piece to this infernal machine. Even if we still don’t know, and may never know, if Esteban Ocon and Alpine would have separated without the clash between the Evreux native and Pierre Gasly in the Principality, the words of the French team boss Bruno Famin after this event suggest that a divorce was already in the air.

After half a season with Manor, two seasons with Force India, and five with Renault/Alpine, Ocon finds himself on the transfer market. With several drivers at the end of their contracts and teams looking to revamp ahead of the new regulations in 2026, the French driver has a chance of still being in F1 next season provided he makes the right choice. An overview of his possibilities.

Mercedes

Mercedes reserve driver before becoming a regular driver at Renault in 2020, Ocon has always maintained strong ties with Toto Wolff and his team. The Austrian boss actually holds the French driver in high esteem, as he has already been a candidate for a Mercedes seat when Valtteri Bottas was struggling. However, Ocon is not arriving in a position of strength to go to Brackley. Wolff still wants to attract Max Verstappen and would not be opposed to promoting young talent Andrea Kimi Antonelli next year if the triple world champion decides to stay at Red Bull.

Aston Martin

Even if Ocon’s arrival at Aston Martin would be a huge surprise, it should not be ruled out. With Fernando Alonso having recently extended his contract with the team based in Silverstone, it would therefore be in Lance Stroll’s seat that the Frenchman would take place. Dominated by the Spaniard since the beginning of the season, the Canadian has somewhat recovered at Imola and Monaco, even if his mistake at the chicane of Port is unforgivable. Although the performance gap between the two Aston Martin drivers remains large and Alonso and Ocon have already been teammates, it is hard to imagine Lawrence Stroll dismissing his son in favor of the current Alpine driver.

Red Bull

The big challenge. By joining the Milton Keynes team, Ocon would follow in the footsteps of Sergio Pérez, who was transferred to Red Bull even though he was not part of the Austrian brand’s young driver program. As nothing is impossible in F1, seeing Ocon at Red Bull is within the realm of possibility. Such a transfer would depend on Verstappen’s decision to leave or not, with Sergio Pérez having recently extended his contract until 2026. Ocon will also have to face fierce competition from the young talents such as Yuki Tsunoda, Liam Lawson, and even Isack Hadjar.

Haas F1

Currently, the American team appears as the most credible option for Ocon’s future in Formula 1. Nico Hülkenberg is leaving for Sauber/Audi, so there is already a seat available. But there might as well be two, since Kevin Magnussen has been struggling to match his German teammate’s performance since the beginning of their collaboration last season. In addition to Ocon, Oliver Bearman, a driver from the Ferrari Driver Academy with F1 experience, is also among the contenders for a full-time seat at Haas F1. A duo of Ocon-Bearman would have a certain appeal for a team that has been regularly fighting for points this season.

Sauber/Audi

Here is what would be a plunge into the unknown for Ocon. Today, no one can say what the performance level of the German-Swiss team will be when the brand with the rings arrives in Formula 1 in two years. Until then, a transition season would open up at Sauber for the Normand alongside Nico Hülkenberg. To team up with the German, Carlos Sainz still has a lead. The one that will be replaced by Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari certainly has the highest odds among free drivers at the end of the season in the transfer market.

Williams

The team based in Grove will also have a seat to fill next year. Alex Albon at Williams for several more seasons, Logan Sargeant is probably living his last hours under the orders of James Vowles. Already on thin ice at the end of last year, the American driver is still being overshadowed by his teammate and some paddock rumors even suggest he could be replaced during the season. A move to Williams would be a great opportunity for Ocon ahead of the regulatory turning point in 2026. Mercedes has been working on its new engine for some time now, and it is not impossible that the German manufacturer will repeat the feat of 2014, when the star brand had started to dominate the competition, which also benefited its customer teams.

Esteban Ocon still has many races left to prove his worth to the various teams on the grid. The Norman knows that this involves good performances with the team he will be leaving at the end of the season, and particularly by achieving better results than those of his teammate. The battle to secure the best seats is only just beginning, and the winner of the 2021 Hungarian Grand Prix has many arguments to put forward.