Ocon drove his last race for Alpine and won't compete in Abu Dhabi
Breaking News
- Nicole Mulder
GPblog can now confirm that Esteban Ocon will not drive at the Abu Dhabi GP next weekend. It was the Frenchman's decision to leave early.
Did Ocon drive his last F1 race for Alpine?
Ocon is leaving Alpine to join Haas in 2025, with rookie Doohan taking over his seat at Alpine for that season. However, the Australian driver could possibly make his F1 debut earlier than expected.
After his DNF in Qatar, Ocon already hinted at leaving early, saying goodbye to his team and wishing them well. GPblog can now confirm that it is true the Frenchman will not compete in Abu Dhabi. Whether Doohan will get the chance is yet to be confirmed.
"I would like to thank the team for their hard work over this race and their hard work over the whole year. When it's not going so well, the engineers and the mechanic have stuck together, and that's the most important thing. It's important to look ahead and and see what we can prepare for the future," he revealed to GPblog among others in the paddock.
Earlier, talking to F1TV, team principal Oliver Oakes remained mysterious about Ocon's possible early departure, saying that he has heard the Frenchman's comments, and declaring it was the plan to have Ocon in the car, but they will see how 'things will progress'. The Abu Dhabi GP is scheduled to take place next weekend.
This article was written in collaboration with Kada Sárközi
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