Ocon's Unplanned Exit: A Revving Goodbye from Alpine

Esteban Ocon's unexpected departure from Alpine F1 team occurs ahead of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Ocon will transition to Haas next season, while Jack Doohan replaces him at Alpine. Ocon bids farewell to Alpine staff and wishes Doohan well, as Alpine targets a higher championship position.

Esteban Ocon, the French Formula One driver, is leaving the Alpine team earlier than expected, ahead of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix season finale. Alpine has appointed Australian Jack Doohan to make his race debut at Yas Marina on Sunday.

Ocon, who is set to join Haas next season, acknowledged the switch was framed as an opportunity for him to test with the U.S.-owned team. In a heartfelt Instagram post, Ocon expressed regret over not saying a proper farewell to the devoted teams at Enstone and Viry, stating it has been a challenging year.

Ocon conveyed best wishes to Jack Doohan as he embarks on his new journey in F1, while Alpine aims for sixth place in the championship, with the team currently holding a five-point advantage over Haas.

(With inputs from agencies.)