Alpine says Ocon welcome for farewell factory tour

alpine Formula 1 team principal Oliver Oakes welcomes esteban ocon Returning to the team’s Enstone base to say goodbye before heading to Haas.

The French stood aside jack doohan Before the final race of the season, the move was surrounded in controversy, as sources revealed that Ocon was aware of the decision – which he said was necessary to allow him to drive for Haas at the Abu Dhabi test day later in the season. Went – a few hours before the Qatar Grand Prix.

It emerged ahead of the Abu Dhabi season-final that Ocon was surprised as he organized a special crash helmet for the race to bid farewell to the team that gave him a second chance in F1 in 2020, when it was then subject to Was. Renault guise.

In a social media post, Ocon said: “To the hundreds of hard-working men and women of Enstone and Wiry, I apologize that I will not be able to meet you in person and bid a proper farewell.

“As you know, the plan was always to race for the last time this weekend and say goodbye to all of you in person next week. I was looking forward to both of those things.

I didn’t want things to end like this.

But playing down the issue of Ocon being unable to come, Oakes said after the team finished sixth in the constructors‘ standings at Yas Marina: “If Esteban wants, he can have a guard of honour. He has to come. Would be. I really am.” Serious.

“Look, people say that (he was treated harshly), but I think that’s not really true. I think at the end of the day, he had a choice. Decided to start with. It’s okay. I’m satisfied with it.

“We’ve been texting, and I’ve been honest, he’s welcome to come to Enstone if you want, like everything was planned. I’ve also been really honest that he’s been a big part of the team, Not only in the last years, but also during my short tenure.

“I admire him a lot, but I also think we have to do what’s right for us and getting Jack in the car first is a big advantage when we look towards next year.

“The teams we are fighting are all rookie players with little experience and to me, that may sound a bit harsh, but in reality, that’s not the reason at all.”