Esteban Ocon denies feeling joy over Alpine’s decline: “You don’t smile when others are down”. Esteban Ocon denies taking pleasure in Alpine’s struggles despite their split in 2024.

Ocon denies being happy to see Alpine struggling, despite the way he left the team last season.

Esteban Ocon has had a strong start to the season with Haas, but despite this, he is not pleased to see Alpine in trouble. At the moment, the Frenchman has 22 points in the drivers’ championship—double Alpine’s current total in the constructors’ standings.

Ocon denied that seeing Alpine in difficulty makes him “smile”, despite the way he left the team last season.

His relationship with Alpine/Renault had started well when he joined the French outfit in 2020. However, everything fell apart at the end of the 2024 season. His time with the Enstone-based team was filled with ups and downs. During his stint, Ocon won a Formula 1 race at the 2021 Hungarian Grand Prix—his winning car is still kept at his home in France.

However, a surprise clash with teammate Pierre Gasly last year in Monaco sparked speculation about a possible replacement. In the end, in July 2024, it was announced that he would move to Haas for the 2025 season.

Moreover, in order to drive for his new team in the post-season tests in Abu Dhabi, Ocon did not race for Alpine in last year’s season finale.

Ocon’s words
This year, Alpine’s form has been inconsistent, also featuring a driver swap after six races between Jack Doohan and Franco Colapinto. The Enstone team currently sits last in the constructors’ standings, while Haas is sixth. Ocon, however, insists he takes no pleasure in seeing his former team struggle. When asked if Alpine’s struggles made him smile, Esteban Ocon said: “You never smile when you see someone in trouble. For me, it was very clear that I had wanted to come here for a long time.”

“I made my decision,” added driver No. 31. “It was clear we were not aiming for the same goals with the team, and I needed a new challenge, because we weren’t going to continue together. We didn’t agree on many things.”

“And yes, they were quick in Bahrain and on other tracks. They’ll keep working on themselves. In one race, you can recover the deficit you have. So even if they’re last now, it doesn’t mean they’ll finish there,” Ocon explained.

The Frenchman finally confirmed he’s happy at Haas, even though Alpine will always hold a place in his heart for the victory they achieved together. But he would be happy to erase the final part of his time with the French team.

Esteban Ocon stated: “So, we have to keep an eye on everyone and do our best. But yes, I definitely feel good here.”

“As I said, Alpine will always have a special place in my heart, having the winning car at home and everything we achieved together. But I definitely want to erase the final part of my career there,” he concluded.