Karun Chandhok shares why Alpine had to release Esteban Ocon amid behind the scenes ‘mess’

Esteban Ocon has confirmed that he has left Alpine early and will not race at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

The Frenchman will be replaced by 2025 signing Jack Doohan, who will become the 16th Australian to make an F1 start this weekend. Ocon’s sudden Alpine exit will allow him to participate in the post-season test with Haas – who he will drive for next season alongside Oliver Bearman.

The 28-year-old has spent five seasons with the Enstone-based team since he joined in 2020 – when they ran under the Renault name before rebranding to Alpine the following year.

In his time with the team, Ocon scored four podiums – including his and Alpine’s first and only win in F1 at the 2021 Hungarian Grand Prix. But his five-year stint ultimately ended on a low moment as he was taken out of the Qatar Grand Prix at the first corner.

Ocon had intended to drive in Abu Dhabi and even had a special helmet design prepared to say thank you to his team members at Alpine. Jack Doohan sent a heartfelt message to Ocon on social media, thanking him for everything he learned from the Frenchman as he prepares for his F1 debut.

Karun Chandhok says it made sense for Alpine to release Esteban Ocon before Abu Dhabi

Ocon’s early departure from Alpine seemed to be in the works for some time after the relationship between the two parties had ‘completely broken down’, according to Karun Chandhok.

The Frenchman has come to blows with teammate Pierre Gasly on numerous occasions and this is said to have caused tensions between Ocon and Alpine which reached breaking point in Qatar.

READ MORE: Haas driver Esteban Ocon’s life outside F1 from net worth to girlfriend

Naomi Schiff thinks it’s a ‘big risk’ putting in Doohan at Alpine in Abu Dhabi, but for Chandhok, the driver change ‘makes sense’ as Ocon’s relationship with the team was fractured and had to be released to Haas.

“I actually think it’s a good move all round. I think for Alpine, it makes sense really,” he told the Sky Sports F1 Podcast.

“Ocon, clearly that relationship had completely broken down and he wasn’t happy, the whole team was just a mess. Just release him, let him go off and join Haas. That’s where his future is.

“I think honestly getting a weekend for Jack under his belt would be great experience to just have in his mind over the winter and have in his head to think about and really process and he’ll have the test I think after the race as well.

“But from the team’s perspective, we’ve seen haven’t we, that the recent run of throwing in a Colapinto or a Lawson, people like that, Ollie Bearman. These young drivers coming in in a sink or swim situation, all of them have swam.

“And actually that’s raised the expectations for Jack. So from a team’s perspective, they’re going ‘ok, let’s see what we going to get’ and Jack’s got to deliver.”

Alpine are in the fight for sixth in the Constructors’ Championship

While Doohan has a great opportunity in Abu Dhabi to get some experience under his belt in F1 before his full-time assault in 2025, as Chandhok said, the Aussie will have to deliver the results immediately as the team finds themselves in a crucial battle for sixth in the Constructors’ Championship.

Alpine are currently just five points ahead of Haas in sixth, while Visa Cash App RB are eight points further back in eighth.

The Enstone-based team looked out of the running having only scored 14 points from the first 20 Grand Prix. But Alpine propelled themselves up the order with a sensational double podium in Sao Paulo.

The team have not been in the points consistently compared to their rivals, but with a string of good results under their belt in recent races, there will be pressure on Gasly and debutant Doohan to hold onto their advantage over Haas and RB.

There will be extra pressure on Doohan as he has been afforded an extra chance to perform than expected. It has been reported that Doohan’s contract at Alpine is only for five races, so he will have to take his opportunity with both hands and impress the team on debut in Abu Dhabi.