Formula 1: Alpine set to reveal Esteban Ocon’s replacement

Formula 1: Alpine set to reveal Esteban Ocon's replacement

As a diehard Formula 1 enthusiast with decades of racing lore under my belt, I must say that the impending arrival of Jack Doohan at Alpine in 2025 feels like a breath of fresh air. Having followed his progress from the Formula 3 Asian Championship days with Hitech GP, it’s heartening to see him finally getting his shot on the big stage.


As a die-hard fan, I was hoping Carlos Sainz Jr. would be our man at Alpine next year, but when the news broke about him joining Williams instead, it made me reconsider our strategy for the 2025 F1 season. We’re now exploring other options to fill that coveted spot on our team.

As a political enthusiast with years of following elections and campaigns, I must say that the recent announcement has brought some clarity to the ongoing speculations about certain positions in 2025. However, it seems that this move might have opened a Pandora’s box for the remaining open seats as it triggers a chain reaction, much like the falling of dominoes. This is not an unfamiliar scenario, having witnessed similar situations throughout my years of observing politics, and I can only imagine the strategic maneuvers and jockeying for position that will ensue in the coming months.

Two months back, it became public that Esteban Ocon would be leaving Alpine. Most people assumed this was a result of the accident he had with teammate Pierre Gasly in Monaco. Now, Ocon is planning to transfer to Haas for the upcoming season, where he will work alongside newcomer Oliver Bearman.

Discussion about Jack Doohan being mentioned as a possible permanent Formula 1 racer has been ongoing since the year 2022, following his impressive sixth-place finish during his rookie season in Formula 2 with Virtuosi Racing.

Alpine seriously contemplated signing the Australian driver as part of their team for the year 2023, until Pierre Gasly was selected over Fernando Alonso in his place. Interestingly, Gasly was bound by contract with AlphaTauri until 2023, but they granted him permission to depart.

The timing is perfect

It’s been announced that Doohan is likely to join forces with Gasly as his teammate in the year 2025, and we can anticipate the official news coming up shortly.

The timing for the debut of the 21-year-old in Formula 1 couldn’t be more favorable. Recently, it was announced that Oliver Oakes will take over as Alpine’s team principal, which means Doohan is poised to collaborate with someone he has a longstanding affinity for, tracing back to their days together in the Formula 3 Asian Championship with Hitech GP.

In this scenario, Doohan benefits significantly since Oakes has worked with a number of drivers who advanced to Formula 1, such as George Russell and Nikita Mazepin. Notably, Oakes also collaborated with Paul Aron and Luke Browning during this season, both of whom are excelling in Formula 2 and Formula 3 respectively.

Moreover, Alpine’s performance this season has been surprisingly sluggish, which was not anticipated following their strong showing in 2023. In an effort to regroup before the 2026 rules are implemented, recruiting a junior driver who has long been associated with the team seems like a wise decision.

As a dedicated enthusiast, I’m thrilled to share that my latest test at Spa with an earlier model of the car has been a game-changer for the Enstone team. My laps times have fallen right in line with what I aimed for, and it seems we’re on the right track!

As Doohan prepares to launch his open-wheel racing career at last, he aims to demonstrate his skills among the 19 competitors in the upcoming season. There’s great anticipation for this promising newcomer, who is expected to join an impressive group of rookies next year.

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2024-08-01 13:32

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