Dec.4 (GMM) Esteban Ocon has made clear he would have preferred to race in Abu Dhabi this weekend.
The Frenchman, who fell out with Alpine management this year and will switch to Haas for 2025, will be replaced in the season finale by his full-time successor, rookie Jack Doohan.
“The change allows Esteban to be released to Haas to drive in the post-season test in Abu Dhabi,” Enstone based Alpine explained.
However, another theory is circulating – that Alpine wants to fully assess Doohan’s performance over a race weekend before potentially replacing him with the Williams-contracted Franco Colapinto.
“Doohan has nothing to gain by racing in Abu Dhabi – but does he have everything to lose?” wonders the French magazine Auto Hebdo.
Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport, though, rubbished that theory, explaining that after Colapinto’s recent sequence of crashes, both Red Bull and Alpine have lost interest.
“The price to buy the man from Buenos Aires out of his Williams contract was ultimately too high for Flavio Briatore,” added journalist Michael Schmidt.
Whatever the motives behind the early Ocon ouster, the 28-year-old hinted strongly in a social media post that he fully intended and wanted to race in Abu Dhabi.
On X, he posted a photo of his fully-prepared Abu Dhabi season finale helmet livery, featuring images of his highest moments with the team and the words “Merci – Thank You”.
Part of a lengthy statement, meanwhile, reads: “It has not been an easy year on track for the team and the second part of the season has been especially difficult. For various reasons.
“I do not regret a single thing knowing I gave it 100 percent every single session. Like I always have.
“To the hundreds of hard-working men and women at Enstone and Viry, I apologise that I will not be able to come see you in person and have a proper farewell. As you know, the plan was always to race one last time this weekend and personally say goodbye to you all next week. I was looking forward to both of those things.
“This is not how I wanted things to end,” Ocon insisted.
“I would also like to wish nothing but great things to my friend Jack as he takes this next big step in his career at this week’s Abu Dhabi GP.”