The last thing the Alpine team needed after a difficult start to the 2024 Formula 1 season was to watch on as their two cars made contact on the streets of Monte Carlo.
Pierre Gasly left the door ajar for Esteban Ocon on the first lap of the Monaco Grand Prix but he couldn’t pull the move off and ended up doing irreparable damage to his car.
Journalist Nate Saunders was speaking on the Unlapped Podcast about whether Ocon will still be on the grid at the next race in Canada.
Alpine team principal Bruno Famin warned that there would be ‘consequences’ after he nearly jeopardised both of his and his teammate’s races in Monaco.
One of the potential solutions suggested has been Ocon being dropped from the next Grand Prix with Jack Doohan waiting in the wings for his maiden F1 opportunity.
However, these reports appear to be wide of the mark and with Alpine desperate to add to their meagre points tally, it wouldn’t make sense for them to drop Ocon at this stage.
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Esteban Ocon likely to be racing for Alpine at the Canadian Grand Prix
When the red flag was waved halfway through the first lap in Monaco, all eyes were on the huge crash Sergio Perez had suffered with both Haas and Carlos Sainz’s strewn Ferrari one corner on after he suffered a puncture.
It was only when the replays showed Esteban Ocon’s car flying through the air that it was apparent a third incident had taken place before reaching the tunnel.
What infuriated Famin and the rest of the Alpine team was that Ocon had tried that daring move on his own teammate.
Gasly had momentarily found his way around the Williams of Alex Albon going into the tight hairpins, but the Thai driver retook the spot before heading into Portier.
That had put the Frenchman slightly out of position and Ocon couldn’t help himself and went for the gap.
It’s not the first time the pair have crashed but it wasn’t quite as dramatic as their huge incident during last year’s Australian Grand Prix.
Esteban Ocon now looks likely to be racing for Alpine at the Canadian Grand Prix with the consequences Famin talking about likely to take another form.
However, it might be a sign that Ocon needs to be on the lookout for another race seat next year, although Martin Brundle believes he’s already ruled himself out of ever driving for a top team.
Alpine unlikely to make driver switch for the Canadian Grand Prix
Talking about the decision Alpine have to make, Saunders said: “The issue they have at Alpine is that they have Jack Doohan waiting in the wings to come through.
“And there’s a bit of excitement about where he’s at and his potential. They obviously have the memory of letting [Oscar] Piastri go.
“I don’t think anyone thinks Doohan is maybe at that level of Oscar Piastri but when you have a young driver waiting in the wings, now especially, there’s this feeling of do we give the guy a go and see how he does.
“But everyone I’ve asked in the last two days who would know what’s going have said no, Esteban’s [Ocon] going to be in.
“To drop a driver in that situation, I think you might as well just get rid of him for the whole year after that, it’s such a difficult thing to come back from.
“It’s not like, OK, sit out for a race and come back, I can’t think of that happening in the time I’ve covered Formula 1. That just destroys you.”
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What could Alpine’s driver line-up look like in 2025?
Although Ocon will almost certainly be racing for Alpine at the Canadian Grand Prix, he may not still be with the team next year.
The team are more likely to retain Pierre Gasly and it’s no surprise that their prickly relationship off the track has once again impacted their performance on it.
Reserve driver Jack Doohan will be hoping the work he’s doing off the track is enough to convince the team he’s an option for 2025.
Mick Schumacher is a Mercedes reserve driver but is driving for Alpine in the World Endurance Championship this year.
Famin has admitted that it would be a mistake to rule him out at this stage and he’s already more experienced than Doohan in F1.
Alpine will also consider Zhou Guanyu who is expected to leave Sauber at the end of the year although it’s been said they have no interest in hiring Daniel Ricciardo at this time.
The post ‘Everyone I’ve asked’: Journalist shares what he’s heard about Esteban Ocon's chances of racing in Canada appeared first on F1 Oversteer.