Alpine has announced that Jack Doohan will replace Esteban Ocon at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, beginning his Formula 1 journey one weekend earlier than expected.
Jack Doohan in Esteban Ocon’s Seat in Abu Dhabi: Alpine’s Surprising Decision
Despite being locked in a fierce battle for sixth place in the Constructors’ Championship, the Enstone team has chosen to entrust the second seat to the Australian rookie for the season’s final race.
Esteban Ocon’s performance in Qatar was evidently disappointing, but there must be other reasons behind the scenes; otherwise, this decision would be truly inexplicable.
Following the incident at the start of the Qatar Grand Prix, the future Haas driver thanked the team for their efforts throughout the year, suggesting this was his final race with Alpine and that the decision had been agreed upon in advance. A team spokesperson stated that “there are no official comments from the team,” but team principal Oliver Oakes admitted that it is a solution that works for everyone.
At Yas Marina, it will essentially be a test run for 2025 for Alpine, as Jack Doohan would have replaced the Frenchman – the new Haas driver – next season anyway.
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