ENSTONEEngland (AP) — Esteban Ocon will leave Alpine at the end of the season after a troubled start to the year in the Formula 1 for him and the French team.
Ocon is the only driver to have won a race for Alpine since changing its name from Renault at the end of 2020, but he has barely recorded a point this season and rammed teammate Pierre Gasly’s car in the last race, the Grand Prix of Monaco. Ocon will have to clear a five-place suspension at the start of the Canadian GP next weekend.
“We have had great times together, as well as difficult times, and I am very grateful to the entire team for these memorable moments,” the 27-year-old Frenchman said in a team statement.
“I will announce my plans very soon but, in the meantime, I will fully focus on performing on the court for this team and being successful for the remainder of the season,” he added.
Alpine said its drivers for next year “will be announced in due course.”
Ocon will debut in F1 in 2016 with Manor and his only victory was in the Hungarian GP in 2021 with Alpine, capitalizing on a crash in the rain that left several rivals out.
Alpine was trying to establish itself among the leading teams in F1, but has fallen back a lot this year with a very slow car.
The French Ocon and Gasly have barely managed to appear in the top 10 each this year. Alpine is ninth out of 10 teams with two points, only ahead of Sauber.
Source: AP
