Esteban Ocon, who will part ways with Alpine at the end of 2024, has waved off rumors that handing over his A524 to Jack Doohan for the first practice session in Canada is any form of punishment.
Ocon made headlines after a dramatic incident in Monaco where he collided with teammate Pierre Gasly on the opening lap. According to reports, Ocon was repeatedly told to support the driver ahead, but instead found himself lifted into the air after touching Gasly’s wheel. The collision was severe enough to prevent Ocon from continuing the race, sparking speculation about potential repercussions.
In Montreal, Ocon was quick to clarify the situation. Asked about the rumors, he laughed and said, ‘I’ve seen that a lot from the media, and it’s not the case at all. As a team, we have to give two FP1s for rookies. And I’m giving mine to Jack here. It’s a track that’s going to be green to start with, with the new tarmac, and it’s quite dirty at the moment. Things need to be cleaned up a little bit.’
He further explained, ‘I got a five grid place penalty as well, unfortunately for the race. So, my qualifying is a lot less dependent than usual, it’s more the race trim. And, from a team point of view, we think we are going to have probably a more competitive car later in the year. So, for us, you know, to do that [run Doohan] early is a good thing, instead of doing it in Mexico, Abu Dhabi, like we usually do.’
This weekend marks Ocon’s final Canadian Grand Prix with Alpine, who announced after Monaco that this season would be his last with the team. Addressing this, Ocon remarked that this decision had no connection to the Monaco incident. ‘We’ve been talking with the team for several months,’ he revealed. ‘Alpine is a big group, Renault is a big group, and it’s the kind of team that is not taking decisions on just a single race. We’ve agreed mutually to come to an end, basically, at the end of the contract. I’ve spent five years inside this team. We had some amazing moments and tougher ones, but five years in terms of Formula 1 world is a long time. Definitely.’
Looking ahead, Ocon said, ‘I’m excited for the challenge ahead and excited to finish the collaboration on a high. I have nothing to announce yet. As I said, I will announce my future when the right time comes. At the moment, I’m just focused on what’s going to be happening this weekend and what’s going to be in the next coming races. I think it’s good to be doing some racing, which is the most important thing and what I’m excited about.’
As the former Mercedes junior driver continues his journey in F1, he remains linked to potential moves to Haas and Audi, while Doohan appears to be the frontrunner to replace him at Alpine.
Esteban Ocon’s upcoming transition marks a new chapter in his racing career. For now, he’s keenly focused on performing well in the remaining races with Alpine and eagerly anticipates what the future holds.
Source: Planetf1
