Yahoo Autos Alpine and Ocon agree to part ways at the end of season
Esteban Ocon will leave Alpine at the end of this season, with both sides saying they “have agreed together to part ways” at the conclusion of his current contract.
Alpine has endured a tough start to 2024, scoring just two points in total and currently sitting ninth in the constructors’ championship. Ocon scored the first of those points in Miami, but came under fire from team principal Bruno Famin after causing a collision with teammate Pierre Gasly on the opening lap in Monaco.
While Ocon is still set to race for the team for the remainder of the year, it has now been confirmed that he will leave at the end of the season, with Audi and Haas two potential destinations for the 27-year-old.
“It’s been a significant period of my life to be racing at this team in Formula 1,” Ocon said. “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.
“We have had some great moments together, some tough moments as well, and I am certainly grateful to everyone at 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.”
Ocon has finished on the podium twice for Alpine on top of a surprise victory at the 2021 Hungarian Grand Prix, and Famin says the target will be to ensure more strong results over the remainder of the year.
“We would like to firstly thank Esteban for his commitment to the team for the past five years,” Famin said. “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.
“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.”
With neither side confirming their 2025 plans, Alpine remains an outside option for Carlos Sainz once he leaves Ferrari, but could also look to promote reserve driver Jack Doohan who has impressed in private tests.
