Oct.10 (GMM) Esteban Ocon insists he doesn’t need to make “headlines” by providing his actual opinion about Alpine’s decline in Formulation 1.
However the French driver, who’s switching to the small American outfit Haas for 2025 and past, admits that the best way each his profession with Renault’s works workforce is ending, and the tip of the marque’s F1 engine program, is “unhappy”.
The 28-year-old’s sole grand prix win got here on the wheel of an Alpine in 2021 – however since then, his relationship with the workforce and the workforce’s efficiency have been on a gentle decline.
“There are a lot of causes for the downturn,” Ocon instructed Auto Motor und Sport.
When requested to broaden, he answered: “I’ve just a few explanations, however I favor to maintain them to myself. I don’t need to make headlines right here.”
Ocon infuriated workforce administration along with his crash with teammate Pierre Gasly in Monaco, however he insists that’s not the one cause for his exit on the finish of the yr.
“It was already clear to me earlier than that,” he mentioned. “We had already had discussions with different groups. This even began in the course of the 2023 season.
“In fact, you’re at all times open to something, however for me it was comparatively clear that I used to be in search of a brand new problem.”
Like Carlos Sainz, Audi was reportedly an choice for 2025 for Ocon, however the events didn’t shake arms. “I don’t need to go into element about that,” Ocon insists.
“We talked to a number of groups. In the long run, what satisfied me probably the most was that Ayao (Komatsu) is main the workforce. He’s a seasoned race engineer who is aware of what he’s speaking about.
“Haas presently employs 300 folks,” Ocon added, “however they obtain greater than groups with 1500 folks. And there are massive investments sooner or later that may have an effect on efficiency. The workforce has clear objectives and I need to be a part of that.
“I’ve already been to the manufacturing unit and seen the eagerness with which everybody works there. I’ve missed that feeling,” he admitted.
Some may surmise that Ocon is ruing his lengthy tenure with Renault and Alpine – particularly as he truly beat Max Verstappen to the F3 title again in 2014.
“You could not surrender hope,” he now says. “Drivers like Jenson (Button) present that there can all of the sudden be an opportunity in case you work laborious and maintain enhancing.
“Final yr I fought on equal phrases with the McLarens in lots of races, and now they’re combating for the championship. Something can occur,” added Ocon.
Sadly for Ocon, he has struggled to shake off a status within the paddock for being egocentric, typically unfriendly, and laborious to work with – particularly in terms of teammates.
“I feel folks have the flawed picture of me,” he responds. “After an occasion I as soon as spoke to a younger journalist for 5 minutes, and afterwards he mentioned to me ‘You understand, Esteban, I didn’t actually such as you earlier than, however after our dialog I actually such as you’. I discovered that very fascinating.
“Folks on the market can get a picture of you that doesn’t correspond to actuality in any respect.”
As for his common clashes with teammates, Ocon insists that no workforce he has ever raced for “has misplaced locations within the championship due to it”.
However this yr at Alpine, he overtly admits that coping with the declining scenario “hasn’t been enjoyable”.
“After I signed in 2020, I had excessive expectations. There have been additionally massive guarantees. However they didn’t grow to be actuality within the 5 years,” he mentioned. “It’s not simple for a driver while you put a lot into it after which all of the sudden end up on the again.”
And when he realised the 2024 automotive can be a backmarker, Ocon says he “made the choice” to look elsewhere “early on”.
“It’s actually unhappy to see the place we at the moment are,” Ocon admitted. “Alpine comes from Normandy, like me. I used to be at all times proud to put on the brand. It’s actually unhappy to see the place we at the moment are. The model deserves extra.
“We give the whole lot, but it surely’s not sufficient. 5 years with one workforce is a very long time in Formulation 1,” he mentioned. “We had good and dangerous moments. It was merely time to strive elsewhere.”
