Ever since the Monaco GP, Esteban Ocon has been in a storm of controversy and criticism. His unnecessary race-ending incident with his teammate enraged his team boss Bruno Famin and put a lot of doubt on his future. Soon after that, it was confirmed the Frenchman won’t drive for Alpine beyond 2024.
However, even if the two incidents are unrelated, the timing of things puts the race-winner in a bad light. Adding to his misery, former F1 driver Jolyon Palmer has expressed how he has ruined his chances of getting into a front-running team.
When competing at the front, every constructor needs and demands harmony among its drivers for maximum results. On the latest episode of BBC’s Chequered Flag podcast, Palmer explained how Ocon has made himself look like a troublemaker.
“He’s sort of blown his chances, I think, of a top seat because he’s not quick enough to be a world champion contender, I don’t think. And so if you want to get in a top seat, then you have to be a very compliant second driver, which is your Carlos Sainz.”, he said.
“And that is one thing that Ocon is not happy to be. We’ve seen that quite a few times in his career. So he’s a difficult choice for a top team.”, Palmer concluded.
With history as proof, the Frenchman has not gotten along with any of his teammates. This substantiates the former F1 driver’s opinion of the Alpine man. This outlook that is attached to him will hamper his chances of getting into a top team despite his connections with Mercedes and the team’s boss. However, not being able to break into a top team isn’t the end of the world for Ocon, especially in F1.
A few options for a drive in 2025 still open for Esteban Ocon
Despite the negative perspective surrounding him, Esteban Ocon is still a reliable option for teams on the grid. The panel on the podcast came up with two possible destinations, Haas and Sauber.
The American outfit has already lost one driver to Sauber, and there are doubts on the extension of the other. So, Haas is an option for the 27-year-old which has become attractive for drivers as the season has progressed.
On the other hand, Sauber is still stuck in limbo regarding the other seat. The soon-to-be Audi outfit wants an experienced driver to fill the remaining vacant seat. With their first choice, Carlos Sainz, leaning toward Williams, the seat might be up for grabs. The Williams seat might also be an option but it all depends on the outgoing Ferrari man.
Should Sainz pick Sauber over Williams, the Grove-based outfit will turn their attention toward Ocon. The nine-time constructors champions have already secured the services of their star Alex Albon till the end of 2026.
With Ocon on the other side of the garage, they will have a strong lineup to lead them into the new regulations. However, it’s all speculative as it has been in this silly season so far.
