Why it was not so smart of Ocon to drive his Alpine A110 to Williams

Alpine

Ocon has now built a nice history in Formula One. In 2016, he made his debut at Manor and then drove for Force India. In 2020, he joined Renault, which later became Alpine. At Alpine, he achieved four podium finishes in five seasons, including a victory in Hungary in 2021.

Abu Dhabi

Yet the relationship between Ocon and Alpine gradually cooled. The team even sidelined him before the last race of the season in Abu Dhabi. Jack Doohan was then allowed to take his place. According to the German Auto Motor und Sport there was more at play behind the scenes than just sporting reasons.

Spy

Ocon’s company car, an Alpine A110, played a notable role. Thanks to a GPS tracker in the car, the team discovered that he had driven the A110 to Williams’ headquarters. The tracker also revealed that the car had been in the parking lot for five hours. So he didn’t just come there for a cup of tea. According to former Alpine team manager Marcin Budkowski, news of the visit went around Alpine at lightning speed. Not the most brilliant move, and it caused quite a bit of tension between Ocon and Alpine at the end of the season.

Ferrari

Talks with Williams ultimately yielded nothing; the team opted for Carlos Sainz. Jack Doohan permanently replaces Ocon in 2025. And Ocon? That one found a place at Haas. His switch also earned him a new company car. Thanks to the ties between Haas and Ferrari, he now drives a Ferrari 296 GTB Assetto Fiorano. He was able to pick up his new car from a dealer in Paris last week.