Replacing Hamilton with Ocon? 'I'm still a Mercedes junior'
F1 News
Esteban Ocon is keeping the door open for a move to Mercedes. The Frenchman is under contract with Alpine, but is also still closely linked to the Mercedes project.
In a recent interview, Gwen Lagrue already revealed that Ocon is still part of Mercedes. While the former pupil of the Mercedes school is tied up with Alpine until 2024, that does not mean that contact with Mercedes has been reduced. The fact that Ocon's contract is expiring and Lewis Hamilton is leaving Mercedes at the end of 2024 presents opportunities for the French driver.
Could Ocon become Hamilton's replacement?
"I've always had strong links with Mercedes. I'm still a Mercedes junior driver," Ocon confirmed during Alpine's car launch. "I'm still contracted with them at some stage. At the moment, I'm totally dedicated to Alpine. That's my focus."
Ocon also stressed that his performance on track will ultimately be decisive. If he performs well with the French team, that will automatically open doors at other teams. In that respect, there is work to be done for Ocon. After all, the latter was beaten by his new teammate Pierre Gasly in 2023. In points and in the qualifying duel, Alpine's new driver had the upper hand. That will have to change in 2024 if Ocon is to have a chance of moving up the ranks.