Esteban Ocon will reportedly not be dropped by Alpine for the Canadian Grand Prix next weekend, despite team principal Bruno Famin teasing major consequences following his crash with team-mate Pierre Gasly in Monaco.
Alpine went into the Monaco Grand Prix weekend with just one point to their name, but Pierre Gasly’s top-10 qualifying finish afforded the Enstone-based outfit the perfect chance to double that tally on Sunday.
However, their chances of converting Gasly’s P10 grid slot into a point nearly went up in flames when Ocon launched an aggressive move up the inside of his team-mate at Portier.
The pair made contact and Ocon was sent airborne. Under the ensuing red flag, it was determined that the damage sustained by the No.31 car was too much to continue, but fortunately, Gasly’s machine was relatively unharmed.
Team principal Famin was incensed after Ocon’s rogue move. “This kind of incident is sad,” he told Canal+. “It’s exactly what we didn’t want to see. Esteban’s dive was completely out of place, it was exactly what we didn’t want to see, and there will be the appropriate consequences.”
Famin’s promise of drastic consequences sparked speculation that Ocon could be sidelined for the upcoming race in Montreal. In this event, Alpine could use the situation as an opportunity to try out either Jack Doohan or Mick Schumacher for a race seat, with the pair both touted for an F1 berth next year.
However, according to a report from Motorsport-Total, Ocon will not be dropped for the Canadian GP. Instead, Alpine may look to enforce a ‘non-aggression pact’ between their two drivers to prevent further on-track clashes.
Ocon’s controversial on-track conduct could be affecting his chances of securing a seat on the 2025 grid. While Gasly is rumoured to be staying at Enstone moving forward, his counterpart is expected to leave at the end of the year.
The former Manor and Force India driver has been heavily linked with the vacant seats at Haas and Williams, but his track record of clashing with team-mates could put off potential suitors.
