Esteban Ocon has denied that his recent dismissal has anything to do with the crash in Monaco. The Frenchman unfortunately collided with his teammate during the race and had to leave the battlefield early. We now know that Alpine has not offered him a new contract for 2025. Teammate Pierre Gasly is thus seeing an age-old rival depart.
When asked by Sky Sports F1 if Alpine’s decision was a ‘punishment’ for the incident in Monaco, Esteban Ocon responded, “No, certainly not. Such decisions are not made lightly. The discussions have been ongoing for several months, this was a mutual decision.”
Reflecting on a Five-Year Journey
“I have had the privilege of racing here for five years,” he continued. “In Formula 1 terms, that’s a really long time. Of course, we’ve had our challenging moments, but I’ve also been able to create some beautiful memories.” Ocon won his only Grand Prix with Alpine in Hungary in 2021. “It’s time for me to seek out new challenges,” he concluded. “This was the right time to end our collaboration.”
The Smiling Third Party
Pierre Gasly, Ocon’s biggest rival since their early days, responded to the news of Alpine letting go of his teammate during a press conference. The Frenchman first let a painfully long silence fall, much to the delight of the attending journalists. It’s undeniable that Gasly is pleased to see his competitor leave the field.
“I have to choose my words carefully,” he finally laughed. “Anything I say is going to be widely reported. Esteban and I have a long history, but in recent years I think we’ve been able to work together in a professional manner. It hasn’t always been easy, but considering [that we are each other’s biggest rivals], it’s been quite nice. I’ll leave it at that.”
