F1 Grand Prix of Qatar - Source: Getty
Esteban Ocon was issued an ultimatum by Alpine advisor Flavio Briatore just before the F1 Qatar GP on whether the race would be his last with the team or he would be forced to miss the Haas post-season test. The French driver has been unceremoniously dropped from the squad, and it all happened after the race last weekend.
Ocon had a contract with Alpine until the end of the season, and he was due to leave the team for Haas in 2025. What had proved to be a bit of a needle between the two entities was that after a new upgrade was introduced in Austin, Ocon's car was not getting the desired performance.
The French driver had been vocal about this in the media, claiming that he was dumbfounded by the gap his teammate Pierre Gasly enjoyed over him. Other than the race in Brazil, where Alpine scored a double podium with Ocon in P2, the driver struggled to be anywhere near his teammate.
