Alpine to part ways with Esteban Ocon at end of 2024 season

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Andrew Feinberg

White House Correspondent

Alpine and Esteban Ocon will part ways at the end of the 2024 Formula 1 season with the Frenchman moving on after five seasons with the team.

Ocon joined the Renault-backed constructor on an initial two-year contract ahead of the 2020 season, and secured their first race victory at the Hungarian Grand Prix in 2021.

Two further podiums followed but the 27-year-old has struggled for race pace this season, finishing in the top ten just once so far in 2024.

Tensions flared between Ocon and teammate Pierre Gasly at the Monaco Grand Prix when the pair collided, ending their races, though Alpine have given their backing to both drivers ahead of this weekend’s race in Canada.

But Alpine boss Bruno Famin has elected to move on from Ocon at the end of this campaign as he considers his options for the Enstone-based team’s driver line-up in 2025.

“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 been handed a five-place grid penalty for his role in the crash with Gasly in Monte Carlo.

In-house options Jack Doohan and Victor Martins have been linked with Alpine as possible Ocon replacements in recent weeks, while Mick Schumacher, let go by Haas last year, is part of the team’s World Endurance Championship set-up.

Gasly’s contract is also thought to expire at the end of 2024 with plenty of seats still yet to be filled for next season across the grid.

“We would like to firstly thank Esteban for his commitment to the team for the past five years,” Famin, Alpine’s team principal, 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.