Weeks Before Esteban Ocon’s Exit, Alpine Boss Hinted at Poaching Replacement From Toto Wolff’s Camp

Esteban Ocon has quit Alpine. This sudden move comes in the aftermath of his Monaco GP DNF after a collision with teammate Pierre Gasly, for which he received a “shouting” from Team Principal Bruno Famin. The Frenchman even became a victim of online abuse despite apologizing for his mistake. Surprisingly, Famin already had a replacement plan in the works, with eyes on Mercedes reserve driver Mick Schumacher.

Ocon will leave Alpine (formerly Renault) after a 5-year stint at the end of 2024. This brings added volatility to the driver market for 2025. This brings Alpine’s WEC driver, Mick Schumacher, into the picture. The German formerly drove for Haas for 2 years before getting signed exclusively by Toto Wolff as Mercedes’ reserve driver. So Schumacher is only connected to Alpine via their endurance team and has no F1 commitments for them.

Yet, with Ocon gone, and the 25-year-old still harboring an F1 dream, the Enstone outfit could be the perfect fit. Bruno Famin even hinted at this possibility during the Emilia Romagna GP weekend. “He’s one of the possibilities for sure,” Famin said in Imola. “Like many, Mick is doing an incredible job in endurance. What is very impressive is his mindset. Of course, he’s fast, but I think everybody knows he’s fast.” The French team boss also commended Schumacher’s team spirit and readiness to help his teammates, something that Ocon is not known for.

If Schumacher signs with Alpine by upsetting their reserve, Jack Doohan, Mercedes would be short of driving talent. This could pave the way for a perfect swap with Ocon, intensifying his partnership with the Silver Arrows.

Esteban Ocon’s “strong links” with Toto Wolff and Mercedes

Esteban Ocon has been a junior Mercedes driver even before F1. Toto Wolff was the young Frenchman’s manager since 2015, which helped him be their reserve driver for 2019 before his Renault transfer. When Lewis Hamilton announced his Mercedes exit earlier this year, Ocon’s statement had everybody convinced that he would be the 7-time champion’s replacement.

“I obviously still have strong links with Mercedes. I’m still a Mercedes junior driver, that is no secret to anyone,” Ocon told Sky Sports at the launch of the Alpine’s 2024 car, adding, “But I’m totally dedicated to Alpine this year. I’ve got 24 races to get through and we’ll see where we end up.” The Alpine driver only has 16 more races to get through with the struggling team. Joining Mercedes would be a major step up for him, finally allowing him more chances at a points finish.