Esteban Ocon has taken a pointed jab at Alpine, accusing the team of failing to listen to its drivers—a recurring issue that he believes has played a significant role in the squad’s lackluster performance in Formula 1. The Frenchman, who will depart Alpine for Haas in 2025, voiced his frustrations after a dismal 2024 campaign that has left Alpine languishing in eighth place in the Constructors’ Championship with a mere 11 points from 14 races.
Alpine’s struggles have triggered major behind-the-scenes shakeups, including plans to scrap the team’s engine department in favor of becoming a customer operation. Despite Renault’s full-time return to F1 in 2016, the rebranded Alpine outfit has failed to secure a championship finish higher than fourth, leaving its aspirations for success unfulfilled.
Ocon, who joined Alpine in 2020, pointed to a persistent issue during his tenure: the team’s apparent disregard for driver feedback. He noted that this has been a common complaint not only from himself but also from former teammates like Fernando Alonso, Pierre Gasly, and Daniel Ricciardo.
“There’s a lot of things that have not evolved the way they should have been,” Ocon lamented. “We’ve been giving feedback on car development, but it feels like there’s been a missing loop—our feedback hasn’t been acted on. Sometimes we haven’t been listened to the way we should have been.”
Ocon’s critique highlights that longstanding issues have gone unaddressed, hampering the team’s performance year after year. Despite improvements in some areas, key problems have persisted, preventing Alpine from making meaningful progress.
With Ocon set to join Haas, a team with the smallest budget on the grid, he dismissed the notion that Alpine’s struggles are due to a lack of resources. “It’s not about money,” he said. “This team has massive resources, with large factories in Viry and Enstone. I hope they can be competitive again, but I won’t be around to see it.”
Contrary to rumors, Ocon asserted that his impending departure hasn’t sidelined him from technical discussions at Alpine. He insisted that he remains fully involved in the team’s engineering meetings, saying, “I’m still very much onboard with every technical aspect, and that’s how it should be.”
Ocon’s blunt assessment underscores the internal challenges Alpine faces as it seeks to reclaim its former glory. As the Frenchman prepares to move on, his comments serve as a stark reminder of the disconnect between drivers and management that has plagued the team’s recent efforts.
Photo from Esteban Ocon Instagram
