Ocon Exits Alpine & Looks to Haas for Fresh Start Now
Oct.10 - Esteban Ocon insists he doesn't want to make "headlines" by offering his real opinion about Alpine's decline in Formula 1.
But the French driver, who is switching to the small American outfit Haas for 2025 and beyond, admits that the way both his career with Renault's works team is ending, and the end of the marque's F1 engine program, is "sad".
The 28-year-old's sole grand prix win came at the wheel of an Alpine in 2021 - but since then, his relationship with the team and the team's performance have been on a steady decline.
"There are many reasons for the downturn," Ocon told Auto Motor und Sport.
When asked to expand, he answered: "I have a few explanations, but I prefer to keep them to myself. I don't want to make headlines here."
Ocon infuriated team management with his crash with teammate Pierre Gasly in Monaco, but he insists that's not the only reason for his exit at the end of the year.
"It was already clear to me before that," he said. "We had already had discussions with other teams. This even started during the 2023 season.
"Of course, you are always open to anything, but for me it was relatively clear that I was looking for a new challenge."
Like Carlos Sainz, Audi was reportedly an option for 2025 for Ocon, but the parties did not shake hands. "I don't want to go into detail about that," Ocon insists.
"We talked to several teams. In the end, what convinced me the most was that Ayao (Komatsu) is leading the team. He is a seasoned race engineer who knows what he is talking about.
"Haas currently employs 300 people," Ocon added, "but they achieve more than teams with 1500 people. And there are big investments in the future that will affect performance. The team has clear goals and I want to be part of that.
"I have already been to the factory and seen the passion with which everyone works there. I've missed that feeling," he admitted.
Some might surmise that Ocon is ruing his long tenure with Renault and Alpine - especially as he actually beat Max Verstappen to the F3 title back in 2014.
"You must not give up hope," he now says. "Drivers like Jenson (Button) show that there can suddenly be a chance if you work hard and keep improving.
"Last year I fought on equal terms with the McLarens in many races, and now they are fighting for the championship. Anything can happen," added Ocon.
Unfortunately for Ocon, he has struggled to shake off a reputation in the paddock for being selfish, often unfriendly, and hard to work with - especially when it comes to teammates.
"I think people have the wrong image of me," he responds. "After an event I once spoke to a young journalist for five minutes, and afterwards he said to me 'You know, Esteban, I didn't really like you before, but after our conversation I really like you'. I found that very interesting.
"People out there can get an image of you that doesn't correspond to reality at all."
As for his regular clashes with teammates, Ocon insists that no team he has ever raced for "has lost places in the championship because of it".
But this year at Alpine, he openly admits that dealing with the declining situation "hasn't been fun".
"When I signed in 2020, I had high expectations. There were also big promises. But they didn't become reality in the five years," he said. "It's not easy for a driver when you put so much into it and then suddenly find yourself at the back."
And when he realised the 2024 car would be a backmarker, Ocon says he "made the decision" to look elsewhere "early on".
"It's really sad to see where we are now," Ocon admitted. "Alpine comes from Normandy, like me. I was always proud to wear the logo. It's really sad to see where we are now. The brand deserves more.
"We give everything, but it's not enough. Five years with one team is a long time in Formula 1," he said. "We had good and bad moments. It was simply time to try somewhere else."
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I think some of those explanations are rather obvious anyway, for example, continuous personnel changes & Renault PU development.
Perhaps he'll open up more in the distant future at the very latest when everything will be outdated anyway.
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