Alpine announced on Monday that Ocon will leave the team at the expiry of his contract at the end of the F1 2024 season after five years with the Enstone-based outfit.
Ocon claimed his first F1 victory in Alpine colours at the 2021 Hungarian Grand Prix, collecting further podium finishes at Sakhir 2020 and Monaco 2023.
In a statement confirming his Alpine exit, Ocon revealed that he will finalise his F1 2025 plans “very soon” amid links to Haas, Williams and Audi, who will take over the existing Sauber team in F1 2026.
Ocon first joined Alpine (then Renault) for the 2020 campaign after spending the previous season as Mercedes’ reserve driver, with the 27-year-old a product of the Silver Arrows’ junior academy and having hired Toto Wolff, the Mercedes team boss, as his manager in 2015.
Seven-time World Champion Hamilton announced earlier this year that he will join Ferrari on a multi-year contract from F1 2025, leaving a vacancy alongside George Russell.
PlanetF1.com recently shed light on Mercedes’ F1 2025 plans, revealing that Carlos Sainz – the driver whom Hamilton will replace at Ferrari – is not currently under consideration to partner Russell, with the team instead opting to keep tabs on Max Verstappen’s situation at Red Bull.
If Verstappen is unattainable for F1 2025, Mercedes are thought to be likely to replace Hamilton with Andrea Kimi Antonelli, the team’s 17-year-old junior sensation, who recently commenced an extensive testing program to prepare him for an F1 seat
