Esteban Ocon confirmed on Monday that he would be leaving Alpine at the end of the 2024 season. As it stands, he won’t be on the grid next year, so he needs to make an agreement with another team before his time runs out.
Ocon made his F1 debut midway through the 2016 season alongside Pascal Wehrlein at Manor. It was an effective shoot-out between two Mercedes juniors, and he prevailed.
That helped him secure a spot at Force India alongside Sergio Perez for the following year. Perez scored more points over their two seasons together, but they were closely matched (162 vs 136).
When Lawrence Stroll invested in the team to keep them afloat, he planned to install his son Lance, putting both drivers at risk. In the end, it was Ocon who lost out.
He would spend a year on the sidelines in 2019 as the Mercedes reserve driver. Renault then offered him a lifeline for 2020, though the Silver Arrows have continued to manage him.
Ocon has been with the Enstone team, now Alpine, for five years. While Toto Wolff needs to find a replacement for Lewis Hamilton, there’s ‘zero chance’ of the 27-year-old getting the nod.
Esteban Ocon could utilise Ayao Komatsu relationship to bag Haas seat
According to German publication Bild, Ocon would ‘like to get involved with Mercedes’. He still has a strong bond with Wolff and put himself forward for the seat in the winter.
However, a return to Brackley is unrealistic. Instead, his best bet may be to join Haas, where he has also valuable connections.
He apparently shares a ‘close relationship’ with their team principal Ayao Komatsu. Komatsu was an engineer at Lotus when Ocon tested for the team at the start of his career.
The 48-year-old has been heading up the team since the start of this year following the departure of Guenther Steiner. And his pre-existing ties with Ocon could make the Frenchman ‘a good fit’.
Ocon faces two competitors for spot alongside Oliver Bearman
Haas already have a confirmed vacancy for 2025, of course. Nico Hulkenberg is leaving to join Sauber, but Ocon is unlikely to fill that seat.
That’s because it’s seemingly been earmarked for Ferrari junior Oliver Bearman. Bearman is taking part in six FP1 sessions with the team this year.
The real battle, barring an unforeseen change of circumstances, is for the second seat. Kevin Magnussen finds himself vulnerable after a series of incidents this year.
Valtteri Bottas, who may lose his Sauber drive thanks to Hulkenberg, is also a contender. If Ocon loses out, then Sky Sports F1’s Craig Slater says he could end up racing in the World Endurance Championship.
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