Alpine has announced that Esteban Ocon will not renew his contract with the team and will leave at the end of the 2024 Formula 1 season.
Ocon returned to the Enstone-based team as a full-time driver in 2020 and ended the season with his first podium in the series at the Sakhir Grand Prix.
The French driver secured his first win in Hungary after the team rebranded as Alpine in 2021 and played a key role in helping the team rise to fourth place in the Constructors’ Championship in 2022.
However, despite Ocon securing another podium in Monaco last season, the Anglo-French team dropped to sixth place and their decline continued this season.
Alpine underwent a significant restructuring behind the scenes in response to a disastrous start to the season, which resulted in only two points in the first eight races.
Before the Canadian Grand Prix this weekend, Alpine revealed that their long-standing partnership with Ocon, who belongs to Renault, will not be renewed.
“It’s been a significant period of my life competing for this team in Formula 1,” said Ocon.
“Although I’ve been a full-time driver here for five years, my professional career started in Enstone when I was a teenager, so it will always have a special place in my heart.
“We’ve had amazing moments together, as well as some challenging ones, and I am truly grateful to everyone in the team for those unforgettable moments.
“I will soon announce my future plans, but for now, my full focus is on delivering strong performances on track for this team and achieving success for the rest of the season.”
Ocon’s current teammate, Pierre Gasly, also has a contract up for renewal, and Alpine stated that the lineup for the 2025 season will be announced later.
“We would like to express our gratitude to Esteban for his dedication to the team over the past five years,” said Alpine team principal, Bruno Famin.
During our time together, we have celebrated incredible moments, with the highlight being his memorable victory at the 2021 Hungarian Grand Prix.
We still have 16 races to go in 2024, and our goal remains clear: to continue working tirelessly as a team to achieve the best results on track.
We wish Esteban all the best for the next chapter of his racing career when the time comes.
