16/06/2021
NEWS STORY
Alpine has announced that Esteban Ocon will continue with the team beyond the 2021 season as part of a three-year agreement.
The 24-year-old joined the team ahead of the 2020 campaign, having already spent two years in Formula 1. Prior to that, he was already a well-known member of the Enstone-Viry family during his time as a Lotus Junior driver and, later, as Renault's reserve driver during the 2016 Formula 1 season.
He made his race debut in Formula 1 midway through the 2016 season with Manor before moving to Force India for 2017 and 2018. Ocon has 73 Grand Prix starts to his name, scoring 210 points in that time.
Since returning to the team as a full-time driver, Ocon recorded his best finish to date in Formula 1 in the 2020 Sakhir Grand Prix after claiming second place; his first podium in the sport.
His run of form carried over into 2021 with Alpine with four consecutive points-scoring finishes between Imola and Monaco, and a string of impressive one-lap displays in qualifying, most notably in Portugal and Spain.
Ocon's contract extension highlights the team's belief in the Frenchman as a star of the sport and its commitment to its long-term goal of World Championship success.
Alpine is now focused on continuing its progress this season with Esteban and team-mate Fernando Alonso and preparing for the exciting challenge of the 2022 regulations.
"We are very proud to retain Esteban as part of the Alpine family," said Laurent Rossi, CEO, Alpine Cars. "Since returning to the team in 2020, Esteban has grown in confidence and stature to deliver consistently good results and help develop the car with the team.
"Despite his young age, he is very experienced in Formula 1 and he's on a positive trajectory in both his maturity and ability behind the wheel. He is a strong asset for us now, and also going forward as we meet the challenge of the new regulations.
"We have every confidence in Esteban to help drive the team and the brand to the next level and meet its long-term objectives. Esteban is an asset for us beyond F1 as he is deeply involved in the Alpine global project.
"Thanks to his personality and values, Esteban is naturally a perfect ambassador of Alpine. For now, we look forward to continuing the 2021 campaign at our home Grand Prix in France and doing the best possible job at every remaining race weekend."
"I'm delighted to continue with the team beyond this year," said Ocon, "and it's a fantastic feeling to secure my future with Alpine. We've been progressing well together since I joined the team and I aim to continue that journey going forward.
"There are great challenges ahead of us, especially with the new regulations in 2022. I'm sure we can hit our targets by working hard together and continuing the story. I often think back to the Sakhir Grand Prix last year with the podium, and it motivates me to create more special memories like that.
"I'm really looking forward to the next chapter but, for now, we're very much focused on this season and taking each race as it comes."