Following his unceremonious exit from Alpine, the Haas-bound Esteban Ocon has taken to social media the place his disappointment has been made crystal clear. The 28-year-old and Alpine’s more and more fractious relationship got here to a crunching finish on the Qatar Grand Prix, the place he crashed out on the primary nook following a collision with Haas’ Nico Hulkenberg and Williams’ Franco Colapinto.
With Ocon’s baggage all however packed already, the French workforce subsequently wasted no time in lastly chopping ties with the Frenchman, asserting that Aussie Jack Doohan can be taking his seat for the season finale in Abu Dhabi.
Having spent the previous 5 years collectively, a shifting montage or touching message from the workforce reflecting on the great instances they’d loved with Ocon may need been anticipated. However, no. Alpine opted as a substitute to maintain its message quick and candy, waving goodbye to the one-time Grand Prix winner with a single paragraph.
Esteban Ocon, Alpine F1 Staff, 2nd place, celebrates in Parc Ferme
Photograph by: Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Pictures
“The workforce wish to thank Esteban for his time on the workforce and he’ll stay a part of the workforce’s historical past reaching the primary win for Alpine in Method 1. We want Esteban the very best for the longer term,” the assertion learn.
Quick ahead to Tuesday, and Ocon took to Instagram the place he took a vastly completely different method to his blunt departure.
“I wish to firstly thank the mechanics and engineers throughout all capabilities on the observe, Enstone, and Viry-Châtillon who’ve raced alongside me these final 5 seasons,” he wrote.
“We’ve got shared a lot collectively, and I’m proud to name lots of you my pals. I go away Alpine Renault with nice recollections and the pleasure of getting been the driving force who introduced the workforce’s greatest outcomes since its return to the game, climbing the highest two steps of the rostrum in Bahrain, Hungary, and Brazil.
“It was additionally an honour to play an element in ending P4 within the Constructors’ Championship in 2022. I understand how a lot all of these moments meant for everyone and feeling that sense of feat and pleasure alongside the workforce is what I’m taking away with me.”
Amidst the largely touching sentiment of his message, an unapologetic Ocon admitted that 2024 had not gone to plan, saying “It has not been a straightforward yr on observe for the workforce and the second a part of the season has been particularly tough. For numerous causes.
“I don’t remorse a single factor figuring out I gave it 100% each single session. Like I all the time have.”
Ocon did, nevertheless, apologize to these again on the workforce’s UK and France bases, admitting he wished he may have mentioned “a correct farewell” in individual — taking a sly dig at his former employers within the course of.
“As you already know, the plan was all the time to race one final time this weekend and personally say goodbye to you all subsequent week. I used to be wanting ahead to each of these issues,” he wrote.
When it got here to Doohan, Ocon saved it elegant, taking the chance to want his “good friend” and substitute “nothing however nice issues.”
In the end, his ultimate phrases to the workforce learn merely: “Merci. Thanks.”
The workforce responded, as soon as once more saved it transient, commenting: “Endlessly engrained within the Staff’s historical past. Thanks Esteban. Better of luck.”
Esteban Ocon, Alpine
Photograph by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Pictures
After a yr away from the grid, throughout which he teamed up together with his supervisor and Mercedes workforce boss Toto Wolff because the Silver Arrows’ reserve driver, Ocon made his F1 return the next season with the then-Renault workforce partnering Daniel Ricciardo.
Ocon wasted no time in benefiting from his recent begin, choosing up his first F1 podium on the Sakhir Grand Prix the place he completed second behind Sergio Perez. The next yr he went a step additional, profitable the Hungarian Grand Prix after beginning eighth in what was additionally the primary win for the workforce for the reason that swap to the Alpine branding that yr.
Quick ahead to 2024, and tensions between the customarily divisive Ocon and Alpine have been on the rise, not least following his race-ending conflict with teammate Pierre Gasly in Monaco. And simply two months later, Ocon introduced he had reached a deal to hitch Haas on a multi-year deal, beginning in 2025.
Nevertheless, in what turned out to be a exceptional goodbye reward, longtime rivals Ocon and Gasly would go on to offer Alpine its first-ever double podium end in Sao Paulo.
Wanting forward, it’s now as much as Doohan to take advantage of this invaluable early Christmas current with Alpine seeking to safe its sixth-place end within the Constructors’ Championship forward of Haas and RB. As soon as Sunday’s season finale has come to an in depth, Doohan will stay on the Yas Marina Circuit with a purpose to take part within the end-of-season take a look at.
Learn Additionally:
On this article
Anthony Wooden
Method 1
Esteban Ocon
Alpine
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