Alpine has confirmed Esteban Ocon will not participate in what was due to be his final start for the team.
Jack Doohan, who was due to take Ocon’s place in the team’s line-up for 2025, will instead make his debut for the team one race early.
Alpine confirmed Ocon has been released from his contract ahead of schedule in order to allow him to begin work with his new team, Haas, early. He will drive for them in the post-season test at the Yas Marina.
Speculation over Ocon’s future was triggered by the driver’s comments following his first-lap retirement in yesterday’s race. However Alpine team principal Oliver Oakes, seemingly surprised by the news, did not confirm the change when asked yesterday. Oakes was appointed team principal at mid-season in place of Bruno Famin, under whom Ocon’s planned departure was announced in May.
Ocon was eliminated in a three-car collision at the first corner in yesterday’s race when he was hit by Nico Hulkenberg, which sent him sliding into Franco Colapinto. “Unfortunately it was a disappointing weekend and a short race for me today in Qatar,” he said afterwards.
“I had a good start to the race and had passed Franco, I was on the left side of Nico but I was at the wrong place at the wrong time. It got very narrow and unfortunately, I was already on the outside when the collision occurred and our race was then over. It was a racing incident and not something that we wanted.”
Ocon joined Alpine under its previous identity, Renault, in 2020. He scored his and Alpine’s only victory to date in the Hungarian Grand Prix the following year, and signed a new contract soon afterwards. He achieved the team’s best result this year with second place in Brazil, ahead of team mate Pierre Gasly.
Doohan will race using his reserve driver number 61 this weekend. He will take his career number, seven, from the start of next season.
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2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
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