F1 News: Esteban Ocon - Haas Conspiracy Theory Emerges After Driver Dropped Before Season End

Saajan Jogia | Dec 3, 2024

Oct 20, 2024; Austin, Texas, USA; BWT Alpine F1 Team driver Esteban Ocon (31) of Team France walks through the track entrance before the 2024 Formula One US Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

A conspiracy theory emerged following the Qatar Grand Prix after Esteban Ocon's collision with Haas' Nico Hulkenberg, leading Sky Sports F1 presenter Naomi Schiff to ask which team Ocon was "playing for." The incident sparked rumors that the Alpine driver might have already raced his last event of the 2024 season, potentially skipping the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix entirely.

Ocon will partner with F2 driver Oliver Bearman at Haas next season. With Alpine narrowly leading Haas by just five points for sixth place in the Constructors' Championship, speculation arose about his motives. Conspiracy theories suggested he might already be favoring his future team. Hours later, Alpine confirmed that Jack Doohan, its 2025 driver, would take Ocon's place for the Abu Dhabi season finale, further fueling the rumors. The team stated:

"BWT Alpine Formula One Team announces that Reserve Driver Jack Doohan will race in the 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in place of Esteban Ocon. The change allows Esteban to be released to Haas to drive in the post-season test in Abu Dhabi.

"Jack, who has already been announced as an official driver for the 2025 season alongside Pierre Gasly, will race with the #61 as his registered Reserve Driver number and will also participate in the end-of-season test for the team at the Yas Marina Circuit.

"The team would like to thank Esteban for his time at the team and he will remain part of the team’s history achieving the first win for Alpine in Formula 1. We wish Esteban the best for the future."

Ocon’s early exit means he can likely join Haas for the post-season test in Abu Dhabi. Highlighting the conspiracy theory, and the fact that a rookie like Doohan taking the wheel of the A524 this weekend is also a risk for Alpine, Schiff spoke on Sky F1, as reported by PlanetF1:

“I think it’s a risky decision.

“I mean, firstly, for Esteban it’s a shame. I know it seems like it’s a mutual decision, but to end your time at Alpine by missing the last race together, that’s a bit of a shame.

“But at the same time, I don’t know, conspiracy theorists might say, ‘Well, there’s five points between Hass and Alpine, which team is he playing for?’ I am not the one who said it. It’s just a conspiracy theory.”

She added:

“But no, look I think it’s a risky decision.

“Jack, obviously they trusted him. They’re bringing him next year, but he’s never raced in a Formula One race, so with only a five-point gap with Magnusson and Hulkenberg, both very experienced drivers in the seats of those pretty quick Haas, we shall see.”