Ocon and Alpine to Part Ways at Season's End

Esteban Ocon will bid farewell to Alpine at the conclusion of the current Formula 1 season, marking the end of a five-year tenure with the French outfit.

The decision follows an incident during the Monaco Grand Prix where Ocon collided with teammate Pierre Gasly on the opening lap, drawing disappointment from team principal Bruno Famin.

Ocon expressed gratitude for the shared experiences, stating, "We have had some great moments together, some tough moments as well, and I am grateful to everyone at the team for these memorable times."

Famin acknowledged the fruitful collaboration, emphasizing the remaining races of the season and the collective pursuit of on-track success: "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."

Both parties portrayed the split as a mutual decision, as articulated in a joint statement, affirming they had "agreed together" on the course of action.

While the Monaco incident was not the sole catalyst for the separation, it played a pivotal role in solidifying a pre-existing trajectory, as discussions regarding Ocon's future had been ongoing for months.

Joining Alpine in 2020 under its former guise as Renault, Ocon secured a victory in Hungary in 2021 and achieved two additional podium finishes during his tenure.

However, tensions intermittently surfaced between Ocon and his teammates, notably with Fernando Alonso from 2021-22 and more recently with Gasly since the latter's arrival in 2023.

The collision in Monaco amplified tensions, with Famin expressing disappointment due to pre-race agreements regarding team dynamics.

Following the incident, Ocon was penalized with a five-place grid penalty for the subsequent race in Canada.

Ocon disclosed plans to announce his 2025 driving arrangements shortly. Despite being managed by Mercedes, he is not in contention for a seat with the team following Lewis Hamilton's departure to Ferrari.

Potential destinations for Ocon include Sauber, Haas, or Williams, with the Audi-bound team ranking him below Carlos Sainz on their wish-list for 2026.