During the 2024 Monaco Grand Prix, Kevin Magnussen and Sergio Perez had a moment of confusion that resulted in a serious accident, also involving Nico Hulkenberg. Meanwhile, further down the track, Esteban Ocon had his own fit of rage, colliding with his teammate at the tunnel entrance and eliminating himself from the race. Gasly, who managed to avoid the incident, continued the race under a red flag and secured a point for the Alpine team.
This is not the first time Ocon has shown such reckless behavior, as he has a history of conflicts with his teammates. Alpine team boss Bruno Famin promised consequences, but it remains to be seen how the French team will handle the situation going forward. In his column for Sky Sports F1, commentator Brundle shared his thoughts on the incident, acknowledging that Ocon needs to reassess his approach to racing.
Brundle stated, “Ocon is undoubtedly a talented and fast driver, but his track record clearly shows that he becomes irrationally aggressive, especially towards his teammates. Sergio Perez, Fernando Alonso, and now Gasly have criticized him for his aggressive behavior and contacts within the team. This kind of mentality will have serious consequences for Esteban, as no top-level team would tolerate it.”
Brundle also emphasized the impact of a driver’s behavior on the track on the entire support system and investment behind them in Formula 1. He explained, “A driver represents not only themselves, but also hundreds of dedicated professionals and millions of pounds in sponsorship and investment. Repeatedly attacking your own teammate without restraint is simply unacceptable.”
After the incident in Monaco, Ocon apologized on social media, taking responsibility for the accident and expressing remorse towards his team. It is worth noting that Ocon’s current contract with Alpine expires at the end of the 2024 F1 season, and this incident certainly does not help in negotiations for contract renewal.
There are rumors that Alpine may consider leaving Ocon out of the next race in Canada, although this seems unlikely. Ocon will already serve a five-grid position penalty for his collision with Gasly in Monaco. The team may choose to replace him with reserve driver Jack Doohan in this race, with Ocon potentially returning for the Spanish Grand Prix.
