3 possible career steps that Esteban Ocon could take after his departure from Alpine

Esteban Ocon will not be an Alpine driver in 2025. The French team announced his departure from the squad, which brings their 5-year relationship to an end.

The driver joined the team in 2020 and slowly but steadily used the opportunity to morph into a strong midfield driver. On the way, he's won a race in Hungary apart from scoring multiple podiums. For teams with a seat vacant, Ocon might just be the perfect fit as they try to find a reliable hand that can score points consistently in the car.

Looking at how convoluted the driver market is, it is hard to predict where Esteban Ocon will go. Currently, there are three arguable moves for him.

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Esteban Ocon's potential next steps

#1 Join Audi/Sauber

A likely option for Ocon is to go to the Audi/Sauber squad and work on building that team from the ground up. While someone like Carlos Sainz has reservations about committing 2-3 years to a team that's possibly not winning from the get-go, Ocon is still young enough to do that.

With Andreas Seidl at the helm, one can expect long-term gains and progress from Audi. Compared to the alternatives, this is surely something that Esteban Ocon will take a long hard look at.

#2 Join Haas

A team that he has been associated with quite a bit over the last few races is Haas. For Ocon, on paper, a move from Alpine to Haas might look like a downgrade, but that's not necessarily the case. At this stage, Alpine itself is a team that has not seemed to show any growth or progress in the last few seasons.

Haas is slowly morphing into a midfield contender, and for the time being, this could be a seat that helps Ocon shine and get a few eye-catching results.

#3 Join Mercedes for a season

Another avenue on the table for Esteban Ocon is signing as a stop-gap option for Mercedes as Kimi Antonelli is groomed. At the moment, the future of the Italian is still up in the air as he learns his craft in F2. With Carlos Sainz not willing to go for a one-year contract, he's probably out of contention.

For Ocon, a one-year contract could be considered an opportunity to get a few eyes on him and be part of a top team. In addition, he would be going up against George Russell, and if he fares well, more doors open for him. A move to Mercedes is still just a wildcard, but if Toto wants Kimi Antonelli to gain some experience, he might be willing to try something like this.