F1 star to leave team IMMEDIATELY in shock move

Ocon and Verstappen in Monaco — Photo: © IMAGO

Qatar Grand Prix

F1 star to leave team IMMEDIATELY in shock move

An F1 team have announced an immediate replacement for one of their drivers after the Qatar GP

By Kerry Violet.

Sunday 1 December 2024 21:15

Esteban Ocon has left Alpine a race before the end of the season, with his contract up at the end of the year.

Ocon didn't make it past the first corner of the Qatar Grand Prix, getting taken out by Nico Hulkenberg in a crash which brought out a safety car.

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Following the disappointing grand prix, it was revealed by Ted Kravitz via Sky F1 that Ocon will be replaced by Jack Doohan, who had already been confirmed as Ocon's full-time replacement for next season, and will make an early debut with Alpine at the Abu Dhabi GP next weekend.

Sky pundit Kravitz revealed following Sunday’s race: "This isn’t an immediate sacking or anything like that, this is a plea bargain."

Esteban Ocon (L) has experienced a mixed season with Alpine alongside Pierre Gasly (R)

Jack Doohan will now replace Ocon from the Abu Dhabi GP next weekend

Alpine confirm early driver exit for Ocon

"I understand that the situation from the team is that Esteban Ocon was very keen to do the test, the post-season test on the Tuesday after the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix for his new team Haas, and he went to Flavio Briatore the man who makes the decisions here at Alpine and said: ‘Flavio, can I do the test?’

"And Flavio’s like, ‘well, what’s in it for me?’ and it seems that they’ve reached a deal, maybe influenced by what happened at the first corner, maybe not, we don’t know, and Flavio says, ‘you can do the test for Haas if you don’t race in Abu Dhabi for Alpine because I’d like to give Jack Doohan a running start at next year’s Alpine employment’."

The decision could prove fatal, however, given rookie Doohan's lack of experience in F1, with Alpine's constant battle to secure P6 in the constructors' championship ongoing, with a huge financial bonus on the line for that position.

Alpine Nico Hulkenberg Esteban Ocon Jack Doohan Qatar Grand Prix