Ocon knowledgeable of Abu Dhabi F1 exit plan simply hours earlier than Qatar GP

Esteban Ocon discovered that Alpine wished him to step down for the ultimate race of the Formula 1 season simply hours earlier than the Qatar Grand Prix, Autosport has discovered.

Ocon’s spell with the French automobile producer has come to an early finish, as he won’t participate on this weekend’s Abu Dhabi race with the squad handing Jack Doohan his debut as an alternative.

Taking to social media on Tuesday, Ocon admitted that “this isn’t how I wished issues to finish” as he revealed the particular farewell helmet that he had been hoping to make use of for his final look.

But the unusual manner his exit from the staff was organized has now emerged, with sources revealing that he had been summoned to Alpine advisor Flavio Briatore’s workplace simply hours earlier than the beginning of the race in Qatar final weekend.

There, it’s advised, he was knowledgeable that if he didn’t settle for to finish his contract with the staff early then he wouldn’t be launched to check along with his future Haas staff on the Tuesday after the Abu Dhabi GP.

While Haas boss Ayao Komatsu had revealed that an settlement had been reached with Alpine for Ocon to be accessible for the Tuesday run, an official sign-off from the Enstone operation had not been forthcoming up till this level.

It is known that this prospect of not being launched to hitch Haas for the take a look at was used as leverage for Alpine to maneuver Ocon apart, one thing which he clearly wanted to simply accept if he wished to keep away from compromising his future.

Flavio Briatore, Executive Advisor, Alpine F1, arrives on the observe

Photo by: Simon Galloway / Motorsport Images

Alpine didn’t deny the suggestion that a part of the deal between the staff and Mercedes, which nonetheless has contractual ties to Ocon, concerned the ingredient of the Abu Dhabi take a look at.

This was additionally confirmed by Mercedes staff principal Toto Wolff, who stated on Sunday night time in Qatar: “There’s a contractual relationship that Esteban, and we’ve got with Alpine, on driver providers and that contract expires on the finish of the yr. That’s the premise.

“Then, when you agree that for the good thing about the long run, there’s a greater answer that permits Esteban to prepare early and is best for us, and if that is determined by driving or not in Abu Dhabi, I believe that is one thing we mentioned.”

Asked if Ocon would have been blocked from collaborating within the take a look at if he had refused to step down for the Abu Dhabi race, Alpine staff principal Oliver Oakes stated: “I suppose Flav and Toto have been discussing that, have not they? I’ve been busy racing. It’s not my choice to make.” 

The transfer to advertise Doohan early comes amid hypothesis within the paddock about Briatore’s curiosity in Williams driver Franco Colapinto, who might be a contender for a task at Alpine with curiosity in him from Red Bull cooling down.

The Abu Dhabi race will permit the squad to evaluate Doohan’s tempo towards Gasly early, one thing which the staff has already been doing.

It is known that the Australian was additionally put to the take a look at a number of weeks in the past when the staff flew Gasly to Qatar for a personal run in certainly one of its earlier automobiles to set a benchmark time for Doohan, with paddock sources suggesting that the teen achieved.