Esteban Ocon to exit Alpine after end of 2024 F1 season in wake of Monaco furore

French driver Esteban Ocon will be leaving Alpine at the end of the 2024 season, the Formula One team confirmed on Monday.

Ocon, 27, has been with the team since 2021 and delivered Alpine's first F1 victory at that year's Hungarian Grand Prix.

"It's been a significant period of my life to be racing at this team in Formula One," Ocon said in a statement.

"While I've been here for five years as a full-time racing driver, my professional career started at Enstone back when I was a teenager, so it will always be a special place for me.

"We have had some great moments together, some tough moments as well, and I am certainly grateful to everyone at the team for these memorable times.

"I will announce my plans very soon but, in the meantime, my full focus is on delivering on track for this team and having a successful remainder of the season."

Ocon, who previously had been linked with a potential move to the Sauber/Audi team, has one top-10 finish in eight starts this season. He finished 10th at last month's Miami Grand Prix.

Alpine team principal Bruno Famin had warned "there would be consequences"after Ocon collided with team-mate Pierre Gasly at the Monaco Grand Prix on 26 May.

Ocon was handed a 10 second penalty, translated into a five place grid drop for the next race in Canada, after stewards ruled he caused the collision at Portier that pitched his car high into the air and out of the race.

"It was clear to us that the collision was caused solely by the overly ambitious overtaking attempt, from too far back," they said.

Ocon apologised afterwards on social media, recognising the collision was his fault and the gap he went for had been too small.

Today's incident was my fault, the gap was too small in the end and I apologise to the