F1 News: Esteban Ocon 'Exclusions' Predicted As Alpine 'Shots Have Been Fired'

Just days after Ocon announced he would not be continuing with Alpine beyond this season, the Frenchman openly challenged a team order to let teammate Pierre Gasly pass, a move he publicly branded as “nonsense.” While Ocon ultimately complied, giving Alpine “the benefit of the doubt,” the incident has highlighted deeper rifts within the team. Whilst discussing the dynamic at Alpine on the F1 Nation podcast, host Tom Clarkson predicted that Ocon will be excluded from discussions going forward.

The situation was further complicated by lingering tensions from a previous collision between Ocon and Gasley in Monaco. F1 journalist Tom Clarkson illustrated the gravity of Ocon's predicament, noting how recent hardships have been compounded by operational and mechanical challenges. He commented on the F1 Nation podcast, as quoted by Crash.net:

“He thinks he has been too nice? Shots have been fired!

“It was a very difficult weekend for Esteban. Two difficult weekends - the crash with Pierre in Monaco, the harsh conversations he had with the team, the news that he had coming to Montreal that he would no longer be staying with the team.

“So it was difficult. Then, the car wasn’t great in the dry over one lap.

“He’s on the back foot going into the grand prix. He had mechanical issues on the grid. I remember walking past the car, it was surrounded by mechanics, there were questions whether he’d even start the grand prix.

“Given all of that, he had a brilliant race!

“When he says ‘I am too nice’ it’s a marker in the sand that ‘I am not going to do it again’.”

This evolving scenario throws not only Ocon's role into question but also reflects on the broader dynamics at play in Formula 1 teams during periods of transition. Sky Sports F1 pundit Natalie Pinkham, examining the psychological impact on drivers in Ocon's position, highlighted the potential for paranoia and a shift in loyalty perceptions within the team. She explained:

“When the dust settles I hope he reflects on how well he did.

“You’ve got to remember that he’s trying to sell himself now to other teams to try to secure his Formula 1 future.

“I find it so interesting - the likes of Lewis Hamilton, Esteban, Carlos Sainz - when you know you’re leaving a team, how the mind-set shifts.

“Perhaps a bit of paranoia creeps in. You don’t know who your mates are in the team, and how they respond to you. The dynamic changes with your teammate. The sharing of information changes.

“Look at Adrian Newey, he has basically been alienated from within. Once you make that announcement, everything changes, and it’s how you manage it from within. Bruno Famin has got a job on his hands to manage his two drivers.”

With Ocon set to exit, Alpine’s management under Bruno Famin faces a challenge in maintaining team harmony while preparing for the future. Clarkson’s comments further suggest a strategic pivot towards Gasly, hinting at a diminished role for Ocon in technical discussions:

“It looks like Gasly will stay there so they will include him in technical conversations, but exclude Ocon.”

As Alpine looks ahead, scouting for new talent for the 2025 season, the impacts of these internal shifts will not only influence their strategies on the track but also the team's structural integrity off it.