“This is not how I wanted things to end” 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 baggage all however packed already, the French crew subsequently wasted no time in lastly reducing 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 crew reflecting on the nice occasions they’d loved with Ocon may need been anticipated. However, no. Alpine opted as a substitute to maintain its message brief and candy, waving goodbye to the one-time Grand Prix winner with a single paragraph. 

Esteban Ocon, Alpine F1 Workforce, 2nd place, celebrates in Parc Ferme

Picture by: Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Photos

“The crew wish to thank Esteban for his time on the crew and he’ll stay a part of the crew’s historical past attaining the primary win for Alpine in System 1. We want Esteban the perfect for the longer term,” the assertion learn.

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

“I wish to at the beginning thank the mechanics and engineers throughout all features on the observe, 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 mates. I go away Alpine Renault with nice recollections and the delight of getting been the motive force who introduced the crew’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 accomplishment and pleasure alongside the crew 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 straightforward 12 months on observe for the crew and the second a part of the season has been particularly troublesome. For varied causes. 

“I don’t remorse a single factor understanding I gave it 100% each single session. Like I at all times have.”

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

“As you understand, the plan was at all times 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 “pal” and substitute “nothing however nice issues.”

Finally, his closing phrases to the crew learn merely: “Merci. Thanks.”

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

Esteban Ocon, Alpine

Picture by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Photos

After a 12 months away from the grid, throughout which he teamed up together with his supervisor and Mercedes crew boss Toto Wolff because the Silver Arrows’ reserve driver, Ocon made his F1 return the next season with the then-Renault crew partnering Daniel Ricciardo.

Ocon wasted no time in benefiting from his contemporary begin, choosing up his first F1 podium on the Sakhir Grand Prix the place he completed second behind Sergio Perez. The next 12 months he went a step additional, profitable the Hungarian Grand Prix after beginning eighth in what was additionally the primary win for the crew for the reason that change to the Alpine branding that 12 months.

Quick ahead to 2024, and tensions between the customarily divisive Ocon and Alpine have 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.

Nevertheless, 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 benefit from this useful early Christmas current with Alpine seeking 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 as a way to take part within the end-of-season check.

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