Esteban Ocon has insisted "this is not how I wanted things to end" having been denied the opportunity to properly say goodbye to members of the Alpine Formula 1 team.News of the Frenchman's dropping for this weekend’s Abu Dhabi season finale moved fast after the Qatar Grand Prix and Ocon is expected to return to the cockpit with Haas at the post-season test next week.

Pierre Gasly has spoken about the sudden departure of his Alpine teammate Esteban Ocon, who contested his final race in Qatar.

Team principal Oliver Oakes revealed that Ocon's early departure facilitates his transition to Haas, where he will test their car during the post-season sessions. Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff, who manages Ocon, echoed the sentiment, describing the arrangement as mutually beneficial.

Esteban Ocon said his departure from Alpine ahead of Formula One's Abu Dhabi season-ender this weekend was not how he had wanted his time at the Renault-owned team to end. Alpine have replaced the Frenchman with Australian reserve Jack Doohan who will be making his race debut at Yas Marina on Sunday.

And lest we forget, Ocon gave Alpine its most unforgettable result to date when he took the chequered flag at one of the wildest F1 races in living memory, leading the Hungarian G

Esteban Ocon did not get the chance to thank his former co-workers in person, so he took to social media to do so on Tuesday. Ocon, who has signed a multi-year deal to race for Haas beginning in 2025,