Esteban Ocon is on the verge of leaving Alpine just one race before the end of his contract. This decision has sparked a lot of speculation and discussions within the racing world. Jack Doohan is set to take his place in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. The Frenchman's move to Haas in 2025 has been a significant development, and his performance this season has been a topic of much debate.

Key Moments and Statistics

During this season, Ocon has struggled to match his teammate Pierre Gasly. He scored just five points before his remarkable second place in Brazil. Gasly, on the other hand, finished fifth in the Qatar Grand Prix, giving him eight point-scoring finishes compared to Ocon's five. In terms of qualifying, the head-to-head between the two is 12-11 in Gasly's favor, but Ocon has only outqualified his teammate once in the past five races.After a disappointing qualifying performance in the Qatar Grand Prix, where Ocon was 20th and the slowest while Gasly missed out on Q3 by a mere 0.012s, discussions about an early split accelerated. RACER understands that a decision has been made to replace Ocon with Doohan for the final race in Abu Dhabi. Multiple sources indicate that an official announcement is not expected until Monday.Alpine is remaining tight-lipped and refusing to make an official comment. Team principal Oliver Oaks suggests that talks are still ongoing.

Driver's Perspectives and Team Dynamics

Drivers have been told that the matter is "none of their business" by Ben Sulayem. Verstappen seems to have "lost all respect" for Russell over the Qatar pole penalty. Norris has also owned up to his Qatar GP penalty, stating, "I let the team down."Oakes said, "I think there's been a discussion, yeah. I don't think there's been a definitive answer yet, but it has been talked about. It's obviously slightly complex, because as much as he is ours, he is contractually a Mercedes junior as well, or driver. And obviously he'd like to be released early as well. I think it comes from all sides, really. I guess you could say it's good to get Jack in early. I think you could say from Esteban's side it's good to move on early. I think it suits everybody. The discussion was quite natural, really. Honestly, Esteban has been a big part of this team as well. From both sides, it suits each other."Alpine reserve driver Doohan, who is already scheduled to race for the team in 2025, is set to be in Abu Dhabi regardless. He is due to drive during the post-race test. Doohan's own future has been the center of speculation due to the availability of Franco Colapinto, who is believed to be attracting significant sponsorship if he secures a race seat next season.

Impact on the Racing Season

Ocon's departure and Doohan's arrival will have a significant impact on the racing season. It will change the dynamics within the Alpine team and could potentially affect their performance in the final race. The qualifying head-to-head between Gasly and Doohan will also be interesting to watch. Doohan will need to prove himself on the track and show that he can handle the pressure of a Grand Prix.The speculation surrounding Doohan's future and the availability of Franco Colapinto adds another layer of complexity to the situation. It remains to be seen how these developments will unfold and what impact they will have on the future of the Alpine team and the drivers involved.