Alpine boss Bruno Famin has disclosed that “professionalism” is the main criteria the team is considering when it comes to deciding its 2025 Formula 1 driver line-up.
The Enstone-based squad announced last week that Esteban Ocon will not be penning a contract extension and will be departing once the current season concludes.
Ocon and Pierre Gasly have had several flashpoints since becoming team-mates last term, culminating with a contentious first-lap clash in Monaco earlier this month.
But as Alpine mulls over the options to replace Ocon, Famin has outlined that having two drivers who can work together will be essential in the pairing that it chooses.
“I think the relationship doesn’t matter. The professionalism matters. We need professional drivers,” Famin told Sky Sports F1.
“They need to work together. It’s part of the job to be able to work with his team-mate to get the best for the team.”
Ocon’s impending exit ensures that Alpine will have a vacant place next season, with reserve driver Jack Doohan tipped as the favourite to partner incumbent Gasly.
Doohan has been undertaking a testing regime with Alpine in older-spec cars and was handed an FP1 session in Canada, though wet weather restricted his running.
Famin has since confirmed that the Australian, who classified third in Formula 2 last season, is a concrete candidate to be promoted to a permanent 2025 race seat.
“I think he’s an option, for sure. Jack is an option,” he divulged. “We are preparing him.
“He was testing in [Austria] not long time ago and yeah, he has a quite heavy testing programme – and we’re happy with that,” Famin continued.
“Let’s see how he develops. He is one possibility among others, but he’s one possibility for sure.”
Elsewhere, Sauber’s Valtteri Bottas and Guanyu Zhou are considered potential candidates, along with Alpine World Endurance Championship driver Mick Schumacher.
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