Another F1 driver now generating ‘tension’ with his team after Esteban Ocon’s Alpine exit

Esteban Ocon won’t feature in this weekend’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix after agreeing to leave Alpine early. Jack Doohan will take over alongside Pierre Gasly.

Alpine have painted it as an amicable split. It allows Ocon to test for Haas at Yas Marina next week, while Doohan can get a head-start on his 2025 preparations.

The team will say it has nothing to do with a potential conflict of interest as Alpine and Haas battle for sixth in the championship. Five points separate the two teams ahead of Abu Dhabi.

Likewise, when his departure was confirmed back in June, Alpine painted it as mutual. They promoted reserve driver Doohan in his stead.

But the reality is that tension has built up behind the scenes. Ocon has been with Alpine since the start of 2020 (when they were still known as Renault), but the relationship has become increasingly strained.

Before the Qatar GP, which proved to be his final race, Alpine had to thoroughly examine Ocon’s car. This was after he claimed the two packages weren’t equal, though it’s unclear if he was alleging any foul play.

Fernando Alonso is ‘not happy’ at Aston Martin right now

Speaking on The Race F1 podcast, journalist Samarth Kanal shed light on another driver who’s ‘struggling’ in his current surroundings – two-time world champion Fernando Alonso. The Spaniard signed a new two-year contract at Aston Martin earlier this year.

However, much like in 2023, the team’s development trajectory has been worrying. Alonso had scored 41 points after the Canadian GP – round nine of the season – but has only scored 27 in the 14 races since.

Alonso finished seventh in Qatar last weekend, his best result since a P6 in Azerbaijan. But in one eye-catching team radio communication, he said: “I cannot f*****g believe it man. Two years with the same f*****g problem on the straights.”

Kanal says that Alonso was trying to send Aston a wider ‘message’ with that public complaint. He’s apparently growing frustrated despite banking on the team to offer a title shot come 2026.

“It’s not the first time Fernando Alonso has expressed his dissatisfaction with a car over the radio,” he said. “This is very pointed.

“He wants a more efficient going into next year. He’s not happy. And I think they got the message. I don’t think they’re on it, I don’t think Aston Martin are there. Definitely tension.

“And I think that does build up when you supply a bad car to Fernando Alonso for a number of races. I don’t know what the threshold is for him, but it certainly builds up.

“I think he’s getting there now, where he’s really struggling. That said again, seventh – fantastic result. I just think he can see through that and say ‘this car’s not a seventh-place car’.”

Why Fernando Alonso is likely to miss Abu Dhabi Grand Prix test amid not ‘100%’ claims

Alonso made his 400th race start in Qatar, becoming the first driver ever to reach that landmark. He’s been locked into ninth in the standings, with Aston maxing out at fifth.

That makes it difficult to summon motivation. This is a 32-time Grand Prix winner is driven above all else by the pursuit of a third world championship.

But in four of the past five races, he’ll feel he hasn’t had the machinery to even score points. Alonso admits P5 is ‘not what we wanted’ at the start of the season.

To make matters worse, he’s not at ‘100%’ right now after missing media day in Mexico and Brazil either side of an intestinal bug. Alonso could miss the Abu Dhabi test as he looks to make a full recovery.