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 staff subsequently wasted no time in lastly reducing ties with the Frenchman, asserting that Aussie Jack Doohan could 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 staff reflecting on the nice occasions they’d loved with Ocon might need been anticipated. However, no. Alpine opted as a substitute to maintain its message brief and candy, waving goodbye to the one-time Grand Prix winner with a single paragraph.
Esteban Ocon, Alpine F1 Crew, 2nd place, celebrates in Parc Ferme
Picture by: Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Photographs
“The staff want to thank Esteban for his time on the staff and he’ll stay a part of the staff’s historical past reaching the primary win for Alpine in Formulation 1. We want Esteban the perfect for the long run,” the assertion learn.
Quick ahead to Tuesday, and Ocon took to Instagram the place he took a vastly completely different strategy to his blunt departure.
“I want to firstly thank the mechanics and engineers throughout all features on the observe, Enstone, and Viry-Châtillon who’ve raced alongside me these final 5 seasons,” he wrote.
“We’ve shared a lot collectively, and I’m proud to name a lot of you my pals. I go away Alpine Renault with nice reminiscences and the satisfaction of getting been the motive force who introduced the staff’s finest 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 staff 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 12 months on observe for the staff and the second a part of the season has been particularly tough. For varied 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, nonetheless, apologize to these again on the staff’s UK and France bases, admitting he wished he may have mentioned “a correct farewell” in particular person — taking a sly dig at his former employers within the course of.
“As , 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 trying 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 alternative “nothing however nice issues.”
In the end, his last phrases to the staff learn merely: “Merci. Thanks.”
The staff responded, as soon as once more saved it temporary, commenting: “Endlessly engrained within the Crew’s historical past. Thanks Esteban. Better of luck.”
Esteban Ocon, Alpine
Picture by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Photographs
After a 12 months away from the grid, throughout which he teamed up along with his supervisor and Mercedes staff boss Toto Wolff because the Silver Arrows’ reserve driver, Ocon made his F1 return the next season with the then-Renault staff partnering Daniel Ricciardo.
Ocon wasted no time in benefiting from his contemporary begin, selecting up his first F1 podium on the Sakhir Grand Prix the place he completed second behind Sergio Perez. The next 12 months he went a step additional, successful the Hungarian Grand Prix after beginning eighth in what was additionally the primary win for the staff because the swap to the Alpine branding that 12 months.
Quick ahead to 2024, and tensions between the customarily divisive Ocon and Alpine had 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.
Nonetheless, in what turned out to be a outstanding goodbye present, longtime rivals Ocon and Gasly would go on to provide 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 so as to take part within the end-of-season check.
Learn Additionally:
On this article
Anthony Wooden
Formulation 1
Esteban Ocon
Alpine
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