Alpine's French driver Esteban Ocon competes during the qualifying session of the Formula One Monaco Grand Prix on May 25 2024 at the Circuit de Monaco, on the eve of the race. (Photo by ANDREJ ISAKOVIC / AFP)
ENSTONE, England: Esteban Ocon is leaving Alpine at the end of the season after a troubled start to the year in Formula 1 for him and the French-owned team.
Ocon is the only driver to win a race for Alpine since it rebranded from Renault at the end of 2020 but he has scored one point this season and crashed into teammate Pierre Gasly's car in the last race, the Monaco Grand Prix. Ocon will have a five-place grid penalty at the Canadian Grand Prix this week as a result.
"We have had some great moments together, some tough moments as well, and I am certainly grateful to everyone at the team for these memorable times,” the 27-year-old Ocon said in a team statement.
"I will announce my plans very soon but, in the meantime, my full focus is on delivering on track for this team and having a successful remainder of the season.”
Alpine said its drivers for next year "will be announced in due course.”
Ocon made his F1 debut in 2016 with Manor and his sole career win came at the Hungarian Grand Prix in 2021 for Alpine after a crash in wet conditions took out much of the field.
Alpine hoped to establish itself among F1's leading teams but has hit a major setback this year with a car that has often been well off the pace.
French teammates Ocon and Gasly have one 10th-place finish each this year, leaving Alpine ninth of the 10 teams on just two points, ahead of only Sauber.
Ocon's exit for 2025 follows a clearout in design and management roles at Alpine, with several top staff departing over the last year.
