Shocking details emerge from Esteban Ocon's premature release from Alpine: Reports
Esteban Ocon was issued an ultimatum by Alpine advisor Flavio Briatore just before the F1 Qatar GP on whether the race would be his last with the team or he would be forced to miss the Haas post-season test. The French driver has been unceremoniously dropped from the squad, and it all happened after the race last weekend.
Ocon had a contract with Alpine until the end of the season, and he was due to leave the team for Haas in 2025. What had proved to be a bit of a needle between the two entities was that after a new upgrade was introduced in Austin, Ocon's car was not getting the desired performance.
The French driver had been vocal about this in the media, claiming that he was dumbfounded by the gap his teammate Pierre Gasly enjoyed over him. Other than the race in Brazil, where Alpine scored a double podium with Ocon in P2, the driver struggled to be anywhere near his teammate.
The driver was quite vocal about this to the media, as well as the sudden jump in the gap between the two drivers, which was an anomaly compared to the entire season, where the two were neck and neck. After his first lap crash in Qatar, Ocon's interview indicated that this was the last race of the season for him with the team.
It became even more clear later on when the news became official. Now, Motorsport has reported that all of this was set in motion by Alpine advisor Briatore, who summoned Esteban Ocon before the race and gave him the ultimatum. He said:
"According to sources close to the team, everything actually happened very quickly and a few hours before the start of the Qatar Grand Prix, when Flavio Briatore summoned Esteban Ocon to his office. The Alpine executive then informed him that he would not release him for the end-of-season test with Haas, unless he gave up his seat prematurely."
"However, the director of the future team of the French driver, Ayao Komatsu, had indicated since Interlagos that an agreement had been reached in this sense. However, Alpine never officially confirmed the information, postponing it until Esteban Ocon was presented with the conditions to accept in order to ratify it."
In a bid to not start things on a bad note with his new team Haas, Ocon took the deal.
"While preparations for these tests, organised at Yas Marina next week in the wake of the last Grand Prix of the season, were already underway, the Frenchman chose not to give up, even if it meant giving up on a proper farewell with Alpine, as they were a priori scheduled for the last race of the championship."
Esteban Ocon had prepared a special farewell with the team
The report also revealed that Esteban Ocon had prepared a special farewell with the team, which included a special helmet as well. The driver has been part of the setup since 2020 and holds the top 3 best results of Renault's current attempt.
Unfortunately, Ocon never got the chance to do much in the last race as it ended on the first lap.
"Esteban Ocon, for example, had planned to race this last Grand Prix with a special helmet to honor the team whose colors he has defended for the last five years. Finally, his story with it ended abruptly on Sunday at Losail, and at the first corner, after a collision with Franco Colapinto over which he could do nothing."
Ocon leaves the team as a race winner, with two P2 finishes and a P3 result to his name in a 5-year stint.