Alpine parries criticism on “easy” Ocon/Doohan F1 swap

Alpine Formulation 1 staff principal Oliver Oakes acknowledged the late timing of swapping Esteban Ocon for Jack Doohan was “not excellent” however parried criticism on the “easy” resolution itself.

Over the Qatar Grand Prix weekend, Alpine determined it was solely going to launch 2025 Haas signing Ocon to his new staff for Abu Dhabi’s winter take a look at on the situation that Ocon ceded his spot in what would have been his last race for Alpine to his substitute Jack Doohan.

That quid professional quo was understood to be a last-minute name initiated by Alpine advisor Flavio Briatore after Ocon’s launch for subsequent Tuesday’s take a look at had already been agreed with Haas for some weeks. 

On Monday it was confirmed Ocon had agreed to step down, a choice which brought on some friction as a result of the Frenchman had already deliberate a particular tribute helmet to say farewell to the Enstone staff he raced with for 5 seasons, taking to social media to say his untimely exit was “not how I wished issues to finish”.

Chatting with Motorsport.com in Abu Dhabi, staff boss Oakes admitted the timing of the driving force swap was removed from very best, however he insisted the transfer continues to be the precise name for all events concerned as each Doohan and Ocon can get a head begin on their 2025 programme.

“Nothing’s excellent in F1 and from either side that might have all been sorted out earlier, however that is not how everybody works,” Oakes admitted. “And now we have to do what’s proper for the staff.

“The place I get a bit annoyed with it’s that everybody’s developing with their completely different theories. However for me, it is easy. He wished to do the take a look at along with his new staff. No worries, thanks. You have been actually good with us, and we actually admire every part you’ve got accomplished for us.

“And it is in our curiosity to get Jack within the automotive a lot earlier. That is a win for us. Lots of people have made much more out of that than they wanted to, on the finish of the day.”

Oakes stated the cameos made by different younger drivers over the season, together with Haas’ spectacular Oliver Bearman, exhibits the massive upside of giving Doohan an earlier grand prix debut, with the Australian having solely undertaken FP1 and personal testing outings to this point.

“I feel you’ve got seen this 12 months the advantage of getting rookies into the automotive earlier,” he stated. “And two or three of these groups we’ll be preventing with subsequent 12 months [have done so], so now we have to actually do what’s proper for us. It is fairly easy. For us, it is an actual benefit to get Jack within the automotive earlier.”

Alpine is simply 5 factors forward of Haas within the standings forward of this weekend’s season finale, and whereas Oakes just isn’t suggesting the 28-year-old would do something untoward to profit his future employer, for the staff it’s higher to be protected than sorry.

Ocon has struggled for tempo in comparison with team-mate Pierre Gasly in latest races, so the staff felt placing Doohan in for Abu Dhabi wouldn’t essentially have an effect on the staff’s scoring potential because it battles each Haas and RB for sixth.

“We’re preventing the staff Esteban goes to for P6, so there’s a component of sanity test in that as effectively,” he acknowledged. “And I feel [looking at] the previous couple of weekends, it would not be fallacious to say there’s not a giant danger there in switching Jack and Esteban with the type of outcomes as effectively.”

“Whether or not he is checked out already or whether or not the [latest] improve simply did not swimsuit him, who is aware of. From my standpoint he is clearly an excellent driver and he delivered a powerful lead to Brazil.

“I feel Pierre had the legs on him a little bit bit with the upgrades. However that is regular, we see that up and down the grid. From my facet he is undoubtedly an excellent driver.

“He is undoubtedly going to be a thorn in our facet subsequent 12 months, as a result of Haas is having an excellent season as effectively. So, I want him effectively.”