Alpine confirmed Esteban Ocon will be leaving the Enstone-based team at the end of the current season.
The news of Ocon’s departure comes just over a week after his controversial collision with teammate Pierre Gasly at the Monaco Grand Prix, which left team management displeased.
Ocon joined the Renault works team for 2020, allowing him to return to racing full-time after spending 2019 on the sidelines as Mercedes’s reserve driver. He secured his maiden podium finish at the 2020 Sakhir Grand Prix.
Renault rebranded as Alpine for 2021, with Fernando Alonso joining the team to partner Ocon, who secured a three-year contract extension, taking him up to the end of the 2024 season. That same year, Ocon claimed his—and Alpine’s—first F1 win at the Hungarian Grand Prix.
He finished a career-best eight in the Drivers’ Championship in 2022, aiding Alpine to fourth place in the Constructors’ Championship.
Alpine underwent significant managerial changes throughout 2023, with several key figures stepping down from their roles, including CEO Laurent Rossi and former team principal Otmar Szafnauer, who was replaced by Bruno Famin. It appears that somewhere along the way Alpine’s relationship with Ocon deteriorated, as his future at the team became increasingly uncertain.
Ocon’s 2025 options come down to Haas or Sauber/Audi.
In a statement released by Alpine, the team confirmed its 2025 driver lineup “will be announced in due course.”
“It’s been a significant period of my life to be racing at this team in Formula 1,” Ocon said of the news. “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.”
Bruno Famin, Alpine’s team principal, added, “We would like to firstly thank Esteban for his commitment to the team for the past five years. 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.
“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. We wish Esteban the very best for the next chapter of his driving career when that moment comes.”
