Ocon Ousted at Alpine

[cosworth151]

Esteban Ocon will be leaving Alpine at the end of the season. Ocon joined the team as a driver in 2020. His Endstone roots go back to when he was a junior driver for them under the Lotus banner back in 2014.

The split was announced by both the driver and the team. Neither Ocon nor Alpine have said anything about plans for 2025.

https://www.autoweek.com/racing/formula-1/a60979171/f1-silly-season-heats-up-ocon-out/

[Jericoke]

How many drivers are currently driving for teams they're confirmed NOT to drive for next year?

Hamilton, Ocon and Sainz for sure.

At some point, having a driver with nothing to lose in your multi million dollar machine can cause some trouble!  I know they're all professional race car drivers, and obviously in Ferrari's case they can't just move Sainz out and put Hamilton in, but certainly Mercedes and Alpine are going to find themselves at a point where putting in a reserve/junior driver might be better for all involved.

Ocon in particular, is he going to settle down and take fewer risks?  Maybe someone can convince him the only way to find another F1 ride is to prove he's not reckless, but he's had a whole career to show who he is as a driver, and if he changes now, who knows if anyone wants a veteran driver who is an unknown quantity?

[Alianora La Canta]

BBC Radio 5 Live reports that Ocon has a contract to drive somewhere already and the commentators were just arguing about whether that was a F1 drive (and if so, whether it was a race drive).

[John S]

Brundle hawking story that Ocon is headed to Haas alongside Oliver Bearman for 25.