The Alpine team managers around Oliver Oakes and Flavio Briatore did not want to confirm it officially yet, but the news of Esteban Ocon’s early departure from Alpine was successful in Qatar.
Will Esteban Ocon’s Alpine look end sooner than expected? The Frenchman was due to play his last GP in the Enstone team at the season finale in Abu Dhabi. But after the race there was talk in the paddock in Qatar that he had just seen a doctor for the team of French car manufacturer Renault.
Ocon’s own statement after the first round exit also contributed to this. The 28-year-old said: “I would like to thank the team for their hard work this weekend and this year. Engineers and mechanics stuck together when things went wrong, and that’s the most important thing. It is important to look forward and see how we should prepare for the future.”
The leadership of the Alpine team near special advisor Flavio Briatore and team boss Oliver Oakes did not want to confirm the news that Ocon would be replaced by his successor Jack Doohan in Abu Dhabi.
The early departure should happen at Ocon’s own request, because Briatore made this condition to free him for a post-season test with his future employer Haas.
Qatar-GP, Losail International Circuit
01. Max Verstappen (NL), Red Bull Racing, 1:31:05,323 h
02. Charles Leclerc (MC), Ferrari, +6,031 sec
03. Oscar Piastri (AUS), McLaren, +6.819
04. George Russell (GB), Mercedes, +14,104
05. Pierre Gasly (F), Alpine, +16,782
06. Carlos Sainz (L), Ferrari, +17,476
07. Fernando Alonso (E), Aston Martin, +19,867
08. Guanyu Zhou (RCH), Sauber, +25,360
09. Kevin Magnussen (DK), Haas, +32.177
10. Lando Norris (GB), McLaren, +35.762
11. Valtteri Bottas (FIN), Sauber, +50.243
12. Lewis Hamilton (GB), Mercedes, +56,122
13. Yuki Tsunoda (J), Racing Bull, +1:01,100 min
14. Liam Lawson (NZ), Racing Bulls, +1:02,656
15. Alex Albon (T), Williams, +1 Round
outside
Nico Hülkenberg (D), Haas, turner
Sergio Pérez (MEX), Red Bull Racing, Antriebschaden
Lance Stroll (CDN), Aston Martin, collision damage
Esteban Ocon (F), Alpine, accident
Franco Colapinto (RA), Williams, Unfall
World Championship Standings (after 23 out of 24 Grands Prix and 6 out of 6 Sprints)
the driver
01. Verstappen 429 points
02. Norris 349
03. Leclerc 341
04. Plate 291
05. Sainz 272
06. Russell 235
07. Hamilton 211
08. Perez 152
09. Alonso 68
10. Hulkenberg 37
11. Gas 36
12. Tsunoda 30
13. Walk 24
14. Ocon 23
15. Magnussen 16
16. Albon 12
17. Daniel Ricciardo (AUS) 12
18. Oliver Bearman (GB) 7
19. Colapinto 5
20. Zhou 4
21. Lawson 4
22. Bota 0
23. Logan Sargeant (USA) 0
Builders Cup
01. McLaren 640 points
02. Ferrari 619
03. Red Bull 581 Racing
04. Mercedes 446
05. Aston Martin 92
06. Alpine 59
07. Haas 54
08. Racing Bull 46
09. Williams 17
10. Sauber 0
