“This isn’t how I needed issues to finish” Esteban Ocon says goodbye to Alpine

Following his unceremonious exit from Alpine, the Haas-bound Esteban Ocon has taken to social media the place his disappointment has been made crystal clear. The 28-year-old and Alpine’s more and more fractious relationship got here to a crunching finish on the Qatar Grand Prix, the place he crashed out on the primary nook following a collision with Haas’ Nico Hulkenberg and Williams’ Franco Colapinto.

With Ocon’s luggage all however packed already, the French group subsequently wasted no time in lastly slicing ties with the Frenchman, asserting that Aussie Jack Doohan can be taking his seat for the season finale in Abu Dhabi. 

Having spent the previous 5 years collectively, a transferring montage or touching message from the group reflecting on the nice instances they’d loved with Ocon might need been anticipated. However, no. Alpine opted as a substitute to maintain its message quick and candy, waving goodbye to the one-time Grand Prix winner with a single paragraph. 

“The group want to thank Esteban for his time on the group and he’ll stay a part of the group’s historical past reaching the primary win for Alpine in Components 1. We want Esteban one of the best for the long run,” the assertion learn.

Quick ahead to Tuesday, and Ocon took to Instagram the place he took a vastly totally different strategy to his blunt departure. 

“I want to before everything thank the mechanics and engineers throughout all features on the monitor, Enstone, and Viry-Châtillon who’ve raced alongside me these final 5 seasons,” he wrote.

“We have now shared a lot collectively, and I’m proud to name lots of you my buddies. I depart Alpine Renault with nice recollections and the delight of getting been the motive force who introduced the group’s finest outcomes since its return to the game, climbing the highest two steps of the rostrum in Bahrain, Hungary, and Brazil. 

“It was additionally an honour to play a component in ending P4 within the Constructors’ Championship in 2022. I understand how a lot all of these moments meant for everyone and feeling that sense of feat and pleasure alongside the group is what I’m taking away with me.”

Amidst the largely touching sentiment of his message, an unapologetic Ocon admitted that 2024 had not gone to plan, saying “It has not been a simple yr on monitor for the group and the second a part of the season has been particularly tough. For numerous causes. 

“I don’t remorse a single factor realizing I gave it 100% each single session. Like I all the time have.”

Ocon did, nonetheless, apologize to these again on the group’s UK and France bases, admitting he wished he might have mentioned “a correct farewell” in individual — taking a sly dig at his former employers within the course of.

“As you understand, the plan was all the time to race one final time this weekend and personally say goodbye to you all subsequent week. I used to be wanting ahead to each of these issues,” he wrote.

When it got here to Doohan, Ocon saved it stylish, taking the chance to want his “buddy” and substitute “nothing however nice issues.”

Finally, his remaining phrases to the group learn merely: “Merci. Thanks.”

The group responded, as soon as once more saved it temporary, commenting: “Perpetually engrained within the Group’s historical past. Thanks Esteban. Better of luck.”

Esteban Ocon, Alpine

Photograph by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Photos

After a yr away from the grid, throughout which he teamed up along with his supervisor and Mercedes group boss Toto Wolff because the Silver Arrows’ reserve driver, Ocon made his F1 return the next season with the then-Renault group partnering Daniel Ricciardo.

Ocon wasted no time in profiting from his contemporary begin, selecting up his first F1 podium on the Sakhir Grand Prix the place he completed second behind Sergio Perez. The next yr he went a step additional, successful the Hungarian Grand Prix after beginning eighth in what was additionally the primary win for the group because the change to the Alpine branding that yr.

Quick ahead to 2024, and tensions between the usually divisive Ocon and Alpine had been on the rise, not least following his race-ending conflict with teammate Pierre Gasly in Monaco. And simply two months later, Ocon introduced he had reached a deal to hitch Haas on a multi-year deal, beginning in 2025.

Nonetheless, in what turned out to be a exceptional goodbye reward, longtime rivals Ocon and Gasly would go on to offer Alpine its first-ever double podium end in Sao Paulo.

Trying forward, it’s now as much as Doohan to profit from this invaluable early Christmas current with Alpine trying to safe its sixth-place end within the Constructors’ Championship forward of Haas and RB. As soon as Sunday’s season finale has come to a detailed, Doohan will stay on the Yas Marina Circuit with a purpose to take part within the end-of-season check.