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Why Is Esteban Ocon Leaving Alpine Racing at The End of the 2024 Season? Contract, Monaco GP Crash, Mercedes Rumor And More
Esteban Ocon and the BWT Alpine F1 Team have confirmed that they will be parting ways at the end of this season. Read on for details about what transpired to lead to this decision and more.
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Why is Esteban Ocon leaving Alpine?
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Esteban Ocon to move to Mercedes?
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What’s next for Ocon’s contract?
Esteban Ocon and the BWT Alpine F1 Team will part ways at the end of the 2024 season, concluding a five-year chapter in Ocon's career. Ocon, 27, first joined the Enstone-based team in 2020 and has since celebrated several milestones, including his and Alpine’s first Grand Prix victory at the 2021 Hungarian Grand Prix.
The news of Ocon's departure comes in the wake of a challenging race weekend in Monaco, where Ocon collided with his teammate Pierre Gasly on the first lap, resulting in a five-place grid penalty for the Canadian Grand Prix. While sources indicate that the decision to part ways was not directly influenced by this incident, it certainly did not help the situation.
Why is Esteban Ocon leaving Alpine?
The cordial relationship seemed to have taken a turn after Ocon’s incident with teammate Pierre Gasly at Monaco which cost the team some valuable points. The driver was on the recieving end of a lot of backlash following the incident, after which he released a statement slamming the ‘distortions’ and discussions.
Ocon has angered team principal Bruno Famin by crashing with team-mate. This could be one of the leading reasons as to why he is exiting the team. Furthermore, his contract is ending at the end of this season and he will be on the hunt for a seat at a different team for the next season.
One fan speculated that Ocon could be heading to Red Bull as the second driver in 2025. The fan said, “Red Bull now it’s time to announce Ocon for 2025 and this F1 silly season can take the meaning of silliness to new levels!”
Some fans even pondered on the suddeness of the announcement making statements equating to Ocon losing his seat in the blink of an eye.
Esteban Ocon to move to Mercedes?
Ex-driver, Giedo van der Garde, suggested that Ocon's potential move could be challenging for Mercedes, which is currently seeking a replacement for Lewis Hamilton, who is rumored to be transferring to Ferrari in 2025. Amid these speculations, he offered a mixed assessment of Ocon, acknowledging his impressive pace but criticizing his decision-making during races.
Ocon accepted full responsibility for his mistakes in Monaco, emphasizing his commitment to the team. As Alpine struggles with a difficult season, having scored only two points in eight races, the team must now focus on improving their performance and standings in the constructors' championship.
What’s next for Ocon’s contract?
Ocon's future beyond the 2024 season has been a topic of much speculation. Both Alpine and Ocon have stated that announcements regarding their respective plans will be made in due course. "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," Ocon confirmed.
Ocon expressed his deep connection to the team and his appreciation for the experiences he had there. "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," he stated.
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Reflecting on the journey
Ocon's journey with the team has been filled with memorable achievements and challenging moments. Reflecting on his time with Alpine, Ocon expressed his gratitude towards the team, which he has been associated with since his days in the Lotus junior program.
"I feel incredibly lucky and privileged to have achieved the things I did with this team, from my first podium to my first win in Formula 1. These achievements truly were dreams come true," Ocon stated. His time with Alpine saw him secure two further podiums at the 2020 Sakhir Grand Prix and the 2023 Monaco Grand Prix, and his best year-end finish of eighth in 2022.
Alpine's statement
Alpine’s Team Principal, Bruno Famin, acknowledged Ocon’s contributions and the memorable moments they shared. "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 coming at the 2021 Hungarian Grand Prix with a memorable race win," Famin said.
While his future is now up for debate, he emphasized that the team would continue to work tirelessly for the remaining 16 races of the 2024 season, aiming for the best on-track results.
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