Esteban Ocon criticizes Alpine's handling of the Jack Doohan situation

Esteban Ocon claims not to be surprised by Alpine's decision to demote Jack Doohan, while Oliver Bearman, his teammate at Haas, considers this penalty to be unfair towards the young Australian driver.

Unfortunately, it's really not a surprise coming from some of the decisions made recently by the team, he stated on the sidelines of the weekend in Imola. It's obviously sad for Jack. I'm sure he'll return to F1 one day. He has shown very strong moments this year, with excellent qualifications and good pace.

Esteban Ocon acknowledges, however, that Franco Colapinto deserves his chance: « Franco also has his place in F1. He delivered some very strong performances with Williams last year. The problem is that there simply aren't enough seats for all the talent on the grid. »

A difficult end with Alpine

Esteban Ocon had also experienced something similar with the French team last season. The 2024 season has clearly not been easy for him. The year has been far from simple for the team, especially in the second half of the season, which has been complicated for several reasons. Despite everything, I have no regrets: I always gave it my all, the Norman confided. He then added: "This is not the way I would have wanted the adventure to end. But the paddock is a small world, and I am sure that I will cross paths with many of you again."

After five seasons with Alpine, Esteban Ocon naturally reached the end of a cycle with the French team, and a departure seemed increasingly inevitable. The team announced the separation via its social media, before quickly announcing that Jack Doohan would take the wheel for the last Grand Prix of the season. A radical decision that sparked much discussion.

Oliver Bearman denounces excessive pressure

Oliver Bearman, also a rookie this season, did not hide his incomprehension in the face of this decision: « It's extremely hard to undergo so much pressure from the very first race. I can't imagine what he must have felt. »

The Briton also highlights a challenging schedule for the rookies: « Of the first six rounds, four took place on completely new circuits for us. Additionally, two of them were in sprint format, which makes learning even more difficult. He was sidelined before he could even race on tracks he was familiar with. »

Oliver Bearman concludes firmly: « I think he was treated very unfairly. It is, in my opinion, extremely severe. »

A sentiment shared by several members of the paddock, as Alpine goes through a period of instability and struggles to find a clear direction.