Esteban Ocon is leaving the Alpine team one race early and will be replaced by the French team’s reserve driver Jack Doohan.
Ocon is leaving to join Haas, and they have made significant steps forward this year. They have also signed a deal to collaborate with the Japanese manufacturer Toyota.
The Frenchman had some incredible highs at Alpine since joining the team then known as Renault in 2020. He won the Hungarian Grand Prix a year later and scored second place at this season’s Sao Paulo Grand Prix.
It is normal for a team to favour one driver once they know there will be a change in the line-up for the following season, as they don’t want any knowledge to pass on to other teams.
Flavio Briatore was re-signed by Alpine earlier this season as a special supervisor and the French team have made steps forward under newly-appointed team principal Oliver Oakes.
The Italian wanted to ban Ocon from one particular thing according to journalist Michael Schmidt on the ams.F1 YouTube channel
Flavio Briatore wanted to ban Esteban Ocon from doing the post-season test in Abu Dhabi
Ocon may have been seeking permission from Alpine to drive in the post-season Abu Dhabi test and he was released early from his Alpine contract.
This means he gave up competing in the final race of the season with the French team to make an early start at Haas ahead of 2025.
Briatore has been known for making some tough decisions in his Formula 1 career as he dropped Jarno Trulli before the end of 2004 and replaced him with Jacques Villeneuve.
READ MORE: How Mercedes boss Toto Wolff played a role in Esteban Ocon’s Alpine exit before Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
Ocon may have had some suspicions that he wasn’t being treated fairly by Alpine, particularly over the Las Vegas Grand Prix weekend.
Michael Schmidt explained that Ocon had concerns and Briatore wanted to stop the Frenchman from driving for Haas in the test despite it already being approved.
He said: “He had a bit of a suspicion that he wasn’t being played fairly anymore so that got a bit worse. Then they all got mad, and they wanted him to take the test that he wanted after the finale in Abu Dhabi.
“They suddenly wanted to ban it again even though it had actually already been approved. It went back and forth and back and forth, then Flavio Briatore thought it was a good opportunity to test and to give a racing opportunity, and that’s how the whole thing came about.
“Now you can drive, and Ocon can test for Haas. That’s how it is, and Doohan can show what he can really do in Abu Dhabi.”
Jack Doohan now has the opportunity to hit the ground running in 2025
Doohan has been allowed to prepare for his first full Formula 1 season next year with a Grand Prix weekend in Abu Dhabi.
It should help the Australian adjust after being sat on the sidelines this year, and the 58-lap Grand Prix will be demanding as it’ll be the longest race of Doohan’s career.
Doohan has already won at Abu Dhabi as he took victory in the Formula 2 Feature Race to finish third in the championship standings.
An impressive drive and seeing the chequered flag will provide a confidence boost for the Alpine driver, who will be under pressure.
Alpine are battling for sixth in the Constructors’ Championship alongside Haas and RB and need to stay ahead of the American team who are five points behind.
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