Alpine’s Esteban Ocon has reiterated his existing connection to Mercedes as both the driver and team’s prospects in Formula 1 for 2025 continue to remain uncertain.
Ocon’s current contract with Alpine expires at the end of the present season, while Mercedes is assessing the candidates to replace the Ferrari-bound Lewis Hamilton.
Both parties revealed earlier this term that the German marque continues to manage Ocon’s F1 career, despite having driven for the Enstone-based squad since 2020.
Alpine has endured a tumultuous beginning to the campaign with an overweight and uncompetitive A524 seeing the team score a single point in the first seven races.
Ocon, who admitted it would be unwise to contemplate partnering with George Russell at Mercedes, has divulged that conversations over his future have taken place.
Regarding his long-standing ties to Mercedes, Ocon said last week: “I’m still in my mind a Mercedes junior. The management side, that hasn’t changed since 2015.
“We are discussing a lot. We will decide what’s best for my future.”
Ocon denied the view that it could be deemed a conflict of interest to be linked with vacant drives at rival teams whilst still under contract and competing with Alpine.
The Frenchman, who has also been linked with a switch to Haas, has cited that he wants to avoid replicating the experience that he endured on the sidelines in 2019.
“We’ll see about that, I don’t think that’s the topic for now,” he said. “For sure, there’s a lot happening behind, not only looking for a long-term deal then also the short term.
“Formula 1, things can change quickly, but the important thing is to be secured as early as possible. That is a clear target of mine as always.
“I don’t want to pay the price the second time like there was at the end of 2018, which was not a good memory, it was not for performance reasons.
“I think I’m doing a good job again this year and for the years that I’ve been in F1. So I deserve to have a place in F1.
“We’ll see. At the moment, my head is fully into this team, is fully dedicated.
“I’ve been in the project for years, that is very clear, but in Formula 1, it’s quite a dark side and not the one that I’ve ever enjoyed. So as soon as it will be done, the better it will be.”
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