Did Alpine put Esteban Ocon aside before the last race?
Esteban Ocon could compete in his last race with Alpine in Qatar. According to several sources, the French driver would give up his seat to Jack Doohan for the final Grand Prix of the season in Abu Dhabi. This decision would allow the young Australian to make his F1 debut before his official arrival in 2025. Ocon, winner of the 2021 Hungarian GP with the team, will be joining Haas next season. Alpine has not officially confirmed the information.
Update Monday at 10:00: Official: Alpine thanks Ocon before the last race.
According to several sources and based on statements by Esteban Ocon and Oliver Oakes, an unexpected change should occur at Alpine before the last Grand Prix of the 2024 season in Abu Dhabi. Esteban Ocon, who will join Haas in 2025, could be replaced earlier by Jack Doohan, his already designated successor for next season.
This news comes after the Qatar Grand Prix, where the French driver had a particularly difficult race, ending prematurely on the first lap following a collision with Franco Colapinto and Nico Hülkenberg. His statements after the incident took on the guise of barely veiled farewells to the French team.
« I would like to thank the team for their hard work during this race and throughout the year,” Ocon told the media after going off track. « When things are not going so well, the engineers and mechanics have stayed united, and that’s the most important thing. » The French driver added significantly, « It is important to look forward and see what we can prepare for the future.”
These last weeks have been marked by increasing tensions. In the qualifiers in Qatar, Ocon found himself almost a second behind his teammate Pierre Gasly, a situation that led him to make several allusions to potential technical issues. The team systematically denied these suggestions, stating that both cars had the same specifications during the recent events, except for a front wing evolution that Gasly benefited from this weekend.
The relationship between Ocon and Alpine has experienced difficult moments throughout the 2024 season. Former team principal Bruno Famin had notably publicly criticized the French driver after his collision with Gasly in Monaco. Rumors had even linked him to a mid-season transfer to Williams, a possibility that ultimately did not materialize.
Interviewed live by Canal+, Oliver Oakes was surprised to have to talk about this topic: « This is the first time I’ve been asked this question [tonight], » he laughs embarrassed. « You may know something that I don’t know. I was on the pit wall and I’ve just come down. We’ll enjoy today and we’ll see. »
This anticipated change, if confirmed, would allow Jack Doohan to have an early start to his Formula 1 career, even though he is officially set to replace Ocon in 2025. The Australian, current reserve driver for Alpine, had been announced as Ocon’s successor during the Dutch Grand Prix last August.
For Alpine, the stakes remain high with the battle for sixth place in the constructors’ championship. The French team currently has a five-point lead over Haas, thanks in particular to Gasly’s fifth place in Qatar.
Contacted, the Alpine team declined to make any official comment on this situation. As for Ocon, if he does indeed leave his position earlier, he will be able to focus on preparing for his arrival at Haas, particularly with the post-season tests in Abu Dhabi awaiting him with his future team. To be continued…
