Esteban Ocon had to change his front wing after colliding with Charles Leclerc during the Sprint race in Miami. The incident occurred as Ocon was exiting his garage in the pitlane. Commentators described the incident as outrageous. While Leclerc’s SF-24 suffered minimal damage and he was able to make it to the grid, Ocon’s race was already compromised, as he was starting in P13. The stewards reviewed the incident and imposed a ten-second penalty on Ocon.
During the 19-lap Sprint race, Ocon served the penalty through a pit stop. This was not the ideal start for the Alpine driver, especially considering the team’s current position at the bottom of the table. The Sprint race usually presents an opportunity to score points, but Ocon’s penalty made the worst possible result for him.
Ocon’s contract with Alpine is set to expire at the end of this season. Given Alpine’s poor performance, Ocon is exploring other options for 2025. According to F1insider, Audi has shown interest in hiring Ocon. Although Audi has already signed another driver for next season, they have also made an offer to Ocon. However, Ocon is taking his time to make a decision, leading the team to consider other options.
Previously, Ocon was linked to Mercedes due to his close relationship with the team. Audi is now the second team to be associated with the French driver this season. It will be intriguing to see what the future holds for Ocon considering all the factors discussed.
