F1 legend sends 3-word message to departing Alpine driver Esteban Ocon
Former F1 driver Damon Hill has a three-word message for departing Alpine F1 driver Esteban Ocon. The Frenchman had a fractured relationship with his team for most of the year. The French team has put Jack Doohan in for the season-ending 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Alpine putting Doohan in charge for its final Grand Prix start means he will receive a headstart before his full-time debut next year. As Ocon will not appear in the final race with the Enstone-based team, he can move to Haas for the post-season test in Abu Dhabi before joining the team for the 2025 F1 season.
Hill posted an Instagram story resharing a post about Ocon being Alpine's longest-serving driver. The 1996 F1 champion wrote in French:
"A bientot Esteban!" [Translation: "See you soon, Esteban"]
For most of the season, Ocon complained about being let down by the car. Although he did not directly make a sabotage claim, he stated that his driving was fine, and the vehicle was to blame. He arrived in Alpine (formerly Renault) in 2020, and 2024 has been his fifth season with the team. He will replace Sauber-bound Nico Hulkenberg at Haas and will be replaced by Doohan at Alpine.
Esteban Ocon's farewell message for Alpine post disastrous Qatar GP
Esteban Ocon had a devastating final race with Alpine in Qatar after the French driver failed to make it to Q2 in the Qualifying and crashed out of the race in the first lap.
Teammate Pierre Gasly finished in P5 and helped Alpine earn 10 points to help it in the Constructors' Championship. Following his race at Lusail International Circuit, Ocon said:
"I would like to thank the team for their hard work over this race and their hard work over the whole year. When it's not going so well, the engineers and the mechanic have stuck together, and that's the most important thing. It's important to look ahead and see what we can prepare for the future."
Ocon is P14 in the Drivers' Championship with 23 points, 13 less than his teammate, Gasly, who is P11 with 36.