Why Alpine cannot sack Esteban Ocon mid-season

Alpine seems to be more focused on Esteban Ocon's incident at Monaco GP than its underwhelming results this season.

Why Alpine cannot sack Esteban Ocon mid-season

Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly (via: IMAGO)

The Alpine F1 team is having a nightmare of a season in 2024. The Enstone-based team was miles behind the competition with an overweight car at the start of the year. Now, the team has found itself with bigger problems. As it publicly declared consequences for Esteban Ocon‘s incident with Pierre Gasly on Lap 1 of the Monaco GP.

Esteban Ocon was outqualified by Pierre Gasly for the race. The former Mercedes reserve tried to make a move on his teammate. However, as the two made contact, Ocon was forced to retire from the Grand Prix. Team Principal Bruno Famin affirmed that the 27-year-old would face repercussions for this move.

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Alpine is reportedly considering replacing Ocon as early as next season. This could be a major blow to the 27-year-old as Esteban Ocon has no confirmed seat for the 2025 season. However, as things stand, Alpine is not in a position to sack Esteban Ocon mid-season.

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Alpine has bigger issues to deal with than Esteban Ocon’s rivalry with Pierre Gasly

Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly are two fiercely competitive drivers. The two used to be friends in Karting. However, things took a dramatic turn with even their families no longer talking to one-another. Alpine’s decision to have Gasly partner Ocon was always a risky decision. The two drivers crashed into one another during the 2023 Australian GP. Although, apart from the last weekend, the two had managed to keep it reasonably clean since.

Esteban Ocon
Esteban Ocon (Via: Imago)

Alpine is currently the slowest team on the grid. Despite the backing of Renault and a massive influx from Ryan Reynolds-led investment group, the Enstone-based team has failed to live up to expectations. The French team is in a crucial period to work on its car and make its way back to the midfield. At this point, Famin should not be diverting the team’s focus on a new driver joining without any prior running in the A524.

Apart from the infamous Red Bull family, it is rare to see a team boss publicly warn a driver. This does highlight the tense environment at the French team. However, sacking a driver that has raced for the team since 2020 after one incident would only bring more attention to the team for the wrong reasons.

Looking at Esteban Ocon’s apology right after the incident, it seems that the 27-year-old is ready to avoid such mistakes in the future. Moreover, it is believed that Ocon would join a rival squad next season while Gasly will get an extension from Alpine. As such, it might be wiser for Famin to have a talk with his drivers to maintain peace and then transitioning a to a new line-up for next season.

Certainly, Alpine seems to have had enough of Esteban Ocon’s aggressive approach. However, the French team would be better off working on its car instead of forcing a new driver to take Ocon’s place. Bruno Famin has not yet revealed the consequences the 27-year-old will face in the coming weeks.

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