Esteban Ocon denies that Jack Doohan’s separation and Friday entry have anything to do with the incident in Monaco – No change expected in the team
From the outside, Esteban Ocon’s ambitious maneuver in Monaco may have had consequences: In the days following the incident, it was announced that the Frenchman and his Alpine team will part ways at the end of the season. He will also have to hand over his car to test driver Jack Doohan for the first practice session in Canada.
Now you could say: Sure, it’s all coincidence, but the timing of Doohan’s Friday training session is unusual – at least at first glance. After all, no rookie had been allowed to drive in Canada since the introduction of the Friday driver rule (to the overview of Friday drivers), and his involvement had not been announced in advance.
Nevertheless, Ocon denies that skipping the first practice session was a punishment for the Monaco incident: “I’ve read that a lot in the media, but that’s not the case,” he laughs. “As a team, we have to give two practice sessions to rookies, and I’m giving mine here to Jack.”
And in fact, he believes there are good reasons why Alpine is doing the Doohan stint here: “The track will be very green and dirty with new asphalt and will have to be broken in first,” says Ocon.
He also has to accept a five-place grid penalty after the collision in the last race. “So my qualifying is less important than usual. It’s more about race trim,” said the Frenchman.
“And from the team’s point of view, we will probably have a more competitive car later in the year, so it’s good for us to do it early now instead of in Mexico and Abu Dhabi as usual,” said Ocon.
Jack will be stepping into the A524 for FP1 in Montréal as part of his rookie duties
Behind the scenes Jack has been putting in many hours in the simulator back at Enstone, and so this will enhance the feedback for the whole team going forward.
Read more in our Race Preview
– BWT Alpine F1 Team (@AlpineF1Team) June 5, 2024
However, even if the rookie entry is not a punishment, it will be interesting to see how the relationship between Alpine, Ocon and team-mate Pierre Gasly will develop. There had been tensions between the two Frenchmen even before their time together at Alpine, which is unlikely to have eased in Monaco
No fear of unequal treatment
While Ocon emphasizes that both have spoken internally and that there is “no drama”, the question remains among many as to whether both drivers can understand each other on the track. Because in case of doubt, Ocon no longer has much to lose – except perhaps his cockpit with immediate effect.
He himself emphasizes: “As a driver, I have always followed the instructions I was given. Nothing has changed. “
More chaos on the first lap of the Monaco Grand Prix
A close call for Gasly when his team-mate Ocon collided into the right front F1 MonacoGP pic.twitter.com/tlR51nCI6a
– Formula 1 (@F1) May 27, 2024
He is also not worried that he could lose out within the team in the future – for example when it comes to new upgrades. “Nothing will change,” he says confidently: “I had the first upgrade in Shanghai, so Pierre will get the next one a race earlier if it’s only available for one car.”
“We will be treated fairly and that is very important to us and has been discussed many times. It shouldn’t be a problem.”
Ocon does not believe that the incident and the impending separation could affect the rest of his season: “We have all spoken within the team. I’ve spoken to Bruno [Famin] and been to the factory for normal preparation. We talked about a lot of things and there was no awkward moment. Our relationship has not been damaged. “
Ocon: Alpine does not decide on the basis of a race
And Ocon would also like to emphasize one thing: The separation at the end of the season was not a knee-jerk reaction to the Monaco accident either: “We have been talking for many months. Renault is a big group, and it’s a team that doesn’t just make a decision based on a single race,” he says.
“We talked and decided together that we would end it,” said the Frenchman, who was with the team for a total of five years and thinks that is a long time in Formula 1. “I don’t think many drivers have been with the team at Enstone for so long,” he says. “It’s a good time to part ways and decide to take on other challenges.”
It is not yet known where Ocon’s future will lie. At the very least, he is rumored to be working for Audi or Haas, where he could continue his career. Of course, it is also possible that he will come away empty-handed, as he did in 2019, and that his time in the premier class will come to an end sooner than he would have thought.
“In Formula 1, you never know what the future holds,” he says. “My goal is to be in Formula 1, of course.”
However, the Frenchman has nothing to announce in Canada just yet. “At the moment, I’m focused on what’s going to happen this weekend and in the races to come,” he says, waving his hand. “It’s good to be driving again, that’s the most important thing. “
