Esteban Ocon, racing driver for Alpine F1, was involved in a reckless incident with his teammate during the first lap of the recent Monaco Grand Prix. Ocon attempted to overtake his teammate at turn eight, resulting in damage to his car and his retirement from the race. Ocon started the race in P11, while his teammate Pierre Gasly started in P10. Ocon’s attempt to gain an advantage by diving on the inside before the Monaco tunnel led to a collision between the two drivers. Gasly was able to continue without major issues, but the incident put the entire Alpine team’s race in jeopardy.
According to reports, the Alpine team principal is now considering dropping Ocon for the Canadian Grand Prix. The team is currently struggling to score points and will need the cooperation of their drivers to turn the season around. Mick Schumacher, Mercedes reserve driver, is considered one of the candidates for a possible return to the track with the Alpine F1 team in 2025. Schumacher previously raced for Haas in the 2021 and 2022 seasons.
Schumacher is also scheduled to compete in the World Endurance Championship with Alpine in the hypercar category in the winter. His impressive performance during last year’s tests caught the attention of the Alpine team and Famin. With Ocon’s recent accident, there are rumors that Alpine is discussing a replacement for the French driver next season. Furthermore, with the contracts of both Alpine drivers expiring at the end of the 2024 season, a return to F1 for Schumacher may be likely. The upcoming days will be crucial for the unfolding of Ocon’s saga in Monaco.
