Esteban Ocon’s relationship with Alpine took a turn for the worse in Monaco following which the team announced that he would leave the team at the end of the season. The tensions between them were on full display once again in Canada last Sunday, when the Enstone-based outfit seemingly cost the Frenchman a point.
Ocon started the race in Montreal from P18, and in what was a rather eventful race, he made his way into the points to finish P10. But the #31 driver was in ninth when Alpine ordered him to let Pierre Gasly in the closing stages.
Finishing ninth and tenth is a great result for Alpine, regardless of who the driver ahead was. However, the French team decided to prioritize Gasly by giving him the extra point and taking one away from Ocon. It didn’t impact the race or result in any way, but what it did was make Ocon furious.
“I did my job, not the team,” he told Canal+ in an interview after the race.
In another interview (with Sky Sports), Ocon described the decision by Alpine to swap the cars as “nonsense”.
He insisted that he was happy that Alpine finished P9 and P10, but remained adamant that he should have been the one ahead of Gasly while crossing the chequered flag.
What’s next for Esteban Ocon?
Ocon will leave Alpine in six months’ time. He leaves on a sour note, despite having been a part of the outfit since 2020. Plus, with the grid stacked, there could have been trouble for the 27-year-old to find a seat for the upcoming campaign.
Ocon, however, hinted that he probably knows where he will be driving in 2025. The announcement will be made in due course, and he admitted to having some extra motivation for the same, during his Canadian GP heroics.
From P20 to P18 to POINTS. Big thank you to the mechanics & engineers for getting me out there just in time for the race despite a last minute issue on the car. Eyes on Barcelona now. Merci pour votre soutien. pic.twitter.com/ki0DiQhI3r
— Esteban Ocon (@OconEsteban) June 9, 2024
For now, however, he will suit up for Alpine in 15 more races this season. The Enstone team has made it clear that Gasly is the favored driver, which could affect the team dynamics moving forward. But if both parties want the best results possible, they have to work together in harmony.
