F1 team announce PERMANENT exit of star driver after huge bust-up

French driver Esteban Ocon will not be driving with the Alpine Formula 1 team beyond the end of this season, the team have announced.

Ocon has been a member of the Enstone-based team since 2020, when they were called Renault, and has racked up three podiums and one race win across his career.

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That solo race victory came with Alpine in a thrilling Hungarian Grand Prix back in 2021, when title challengers Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen both suffered problems.

Since 2023, Ocon has been driving alongside fellow countryman Pierre Gasly, and their relationship has been said to be a little fiery, with multiple on-track incidents between the pair igniting their rivalry.

Ocon to depart Alpine

The most recent of those came at the Monaco GP last time out, when Ocon decided to take a lunge down the inside of Gasly on the very first lap, causing damage to both cars and ending Ocon's race.

After the incident, Alpine team principal Bruno Famin was furious, and told Sky Sports' Ted Kravitz during the race that 'we're going to make a tough decision'.

While Ocon apologised for the incident, it appears that 'tough decision' has been made by the team, with the Frenchman confirmed to be parting ways with the Enstone-based outfit at the end of the season.

Famin said in an official statement on the team's website: "We would like to firstly thank Esteban for his commitment to the team for the past five years.

"During his time, we have celebrated some fantastic moments together, the best of which coming at the 2021 Hungarian Grand Prix with a memorable race win. We still have 16 races to complete in 2024 together with a clear objective: to continue to work tirelessly as a team to push for the best on-track results.

"We wish Esteban the very best for the next chapter of his driving career when that moment comes.”

Ocon, meanwhile, repeated some of Famin's sentiment: "It’s been a significant period of my life to be racing at this team in Formula 1. While I’ve been here for five years as a full-time racing driver, my professional career started at Enstone back when I was a teenager, so it will always be a special place for me.

"We have had some great moments together, some tough moments as well, and I am certainly grateful to everyone at the team for these memorable times. I will announce my plans very soon but, in the meantime, my full focus is on delivering on track for this team and having a successful remainder of the season.”

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