Schumacher struggled to progress after a moderately promising debut season in F1 in 2022, partnering Kevin Magnussen upon the Dane’s last-minute return to the team, concluding the season with less than half the points amassed by Magnussen.

Despite encountering several significant and high-profile crashes, Schumacher will now blend his testing duties with Mercedes with a full-time role at Alpine in car #36 of the World Endurance Championship after a year on the sidelines at Brackley.

“Yes,” Ocon informed the media, including Total-Motorsport.com, at Alpine’s F1 and WEC launch.

READ: Pierre Gasly makes shock claim about Lewis Hamilton joining Ferrari

“He does deserve a place in Formula 1, that is clear. Because he’s proved, he’s Formula 3 champion, Formula 2 champion.

“He’s had two years in the back of the midfield car, you need time to prove yourself in F1, learn things and for sure he deserves a seat in F1. He’s one of the most talented drivers out there and for sure deserves it.”

Throughout his junior career, Schumacher demonstrated a tendency to excel in his second year of a series, clinching 12th place in both European F3 and F2 before securing both championships a year later. However, his initial year at Haas was largely squandered in an uncompetitive car alongside Mazepin.

He exhibited improvement alongside Magnussen in the latter half of 2022, notwithstanding a costly crash at Suzuka. Nevertheless, by that juncture, relations had already deteriorated with then-team principal Guenther Steiner.

Schumacher severed his longstanding affiliation with the Ferrari Driver Academy to join Mercedes, but his agreement with Alpine means he’s now racing for his father Michael’s third former team.

“It’s fantastic for the Alpine Endurance team first of all,” Ocon added.

READ: Mick Schumacher to replace Lewis Hamilton in 2025

“To have Mick I think he’s bringing a lot of experience, expertise and he’s obviously a very, very talented driver in general.

“And I really hope that they are going to be winning Le Mans this year, I’ll be supporting, cheering for them and I want to see Mick in Formula One in the near future again.”

Ocon expressed his desire for a driver to contemplate participating in both F1 and the 24 Hours of Le Mans, asserting that it could lead to further attempts at the dual challenge in the future.

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Ocon has been managed by the German manufacturer since joining their junior programme in 2015 and made his Formula 1 debut mid-2016 for one of Mercedes’ customer teams, Manor.

The Frenchman completed the second half of the 2016 campaign for the defunct side, before switching to another of Mercedes’ customer teams in 2017, Force India – now known as Aston Martin.

He completed two seasons for the Silverstone-based outfit, with it having been during his second campaign with the team that they rebranded as Racing Point, following Lawrence Stroll’s purchase of the squad.

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Despite being a regular points scorer, Ocon was released at the conclusion of the 2018 season and replaced by Stroll’s son, Lance Stroll.

Ocon was left without a seat for 2019, much to Mercedes’ frustration, with him having been the Silver Arrows’ reserve driver that year.

Thankfully for his career, Mercedes managed to get a move to Renault on the cards for Ocon, with him having replaced Nico Hulkenberg in 2020.

He’s remained with the French side ever since, who are now, of course, known as Alpine following a successful rebrand ahead of the 2021 season.

Since joining the Enstone-based side, Ocon has become a multiple-time podium finisher and an F1 race winner, with his sole victory to-date having come at the 2021 Qatar Grand Prix.

Remarkably, Mercedes continue to look after Ocon despite him having not featured in their colours or in one of their customers colours for four years, with Lagrue stressing that the Brackley-based team “always try” to get Ocon the very best.

“He’s still very linked to us,” Lagrue told The Race.

“He’s an Alpine driver, and he’s fully committed to Alpine, but we’re still managing his career.

READ: Max Verstappen beating Red Bull in a McLaren ‘impossible’

“There are only 20 seats in Formula 1, and we are in a way pretty much all collaborating in the best interests of the sport. And in our case we have a very good relationship with Alpine and with others.

“And we always try to find the best solution to work together in the best interest of the team and the driver.”

Mercedes will likely be busy with Ocon this year given that his Alpine contract expires at the end of 2024, with no talks having been rumoured just yet.

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Whilst they were childhood friends, Ocon and Gasly became rivals towards the end of their junior careers, raising concerns if Alpine signing Gasly was a smart decision.

Gasly himself has admitted that he wasn’t sure how Ocon would work with him, something he admits he was a “little worried about”.

However, the duo have formed a strong working relationship, even though Gasly is more than aware that his teammate won’t be inviting him to dinner anytime soon.

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The ex-AlphaTauri driver claimed top honours over Ocon in 2023, after finishing one place and four points ahead.

This has motivated Ocon to work harder next season, after recognising that Alpine have made him work in a different way this year.

Ocon was in many ways unfortunate to finish behind Gasly, as he retired from seven of the 22 completed races.

Despite retiring more than he would’ve liked, Ocon still had two stand out drives in 2023, his Monaco Grand Prix podium and his sensational recovery from 16th to fourth at the Las Vegas Grand Prix.

He’s planning on using these two races as motivation to get back into full “training camp” on January 2, where his focus will be on “no life, flat out, only racing”.

“From January 2 until the first test I will be back fully into training camp,” Ocon said, as per the Mirror.

READ: Toto Wolff addresses fresh Red Bull controversy

“I’m going to be more doing the way I was doing it in 2022, which is no life, flat out, only racing. We’ve been doing a lot of different things and activations outside the track this year.

“That’s going to change next year. It’s back to war mode and fully focused on the racing side. Before that there’s going be the Christmas party of the team, there’s going be some simulator work.

“I’m going be able to have a couple of days seeing my family that I haven’t seen for a while. We’re going to have some good times with friends, with Mick [Schumacher], with all my friends in December as well, and then it’s fully focused on next year.”

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As has been the case at most rounds this season, several drivers impeded one another in the final sector ahead of their final hot laps, to try and get into as much space as possible.

Two of the drivers in the slow-moving group of cars was Verstappen and Ocon, with the latter having aggressively moved ahead of the Dutchman right before the final corner.

This clearly infuriated the three-time World Champion, as he opted to dive up the inside of Ocon at the first corner as they both started their final hot lap.

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Ocon was forced incredibly wide as a result, whilst Verstappen’s lap was also compromised.

Verstappen’s dive forced both drivers to immediately bail out of their laps, resulting in Ocon being eliminated in Q1.

The Alpine driver wasn’t happy and labelled the situation as a “joke”.

“That’s a joke honestly!” Ocon fumed over the radio. “Verstappen diving into Turn 1 like crazy!”

Whilst Verstappen did safely progress into Q2, he was also unhappy with the situation, something he made perfectly clear over the radio.

“What a stupid idiot!” Verstappen complained over the radio to race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase.

As a result of the incident, Ocon could only manage 17th in qualifying, although he’ll start from P16 due to a five-place grid penalty for Lance Stroll.

Ocon will be frustrated with the result, given that Pierre Gasly managed to qualify in fifth, but will start from fourth.

Verstappen, meanwhile, made it all the way to Q3 where he secured P3, although he’ll start the race on Saturday evening in second following a 10-place grid penalty for Carlos Sainz.

READ: Lewis Hamilton breaks silence amid Las Vegas complaints

The Red Bull driver and Ocon having words with each other is reminiscent of their 2018 feud, which boiled over at the Brazilian Grand Prix that season.

In Sao Paulo five years ago, Verstappen instigated a physical altercation between himself and Ocon, after the Frenchman spun the Dutchman at the second corner whilst trying to un-lap himself.

Verstappen was leading the race at the time but ended up finishing in second, behind Lewis Hamilton.

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This incident unfolded in the final minute of SQ1, with Ocon having been in need of a faster lap-time to progress to SQ2.

As the Frenchman started his lap, Alonso was just ahead having finished his.

Alonso, therefore, pulled to the outside of the circuit as he was on a cooldown lap, to allow Ocon past.

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However, as Ocon exited the second corner his car suddenly snapped on him, sending him considerably wider than usual.

Ocon’s snap sent him into Alonso’s path, with the Alpine driver having collided with the Spaniard’s front-left tyre.

The collision sent Ocon into the barrier on the outside of the Turn 3, resulting in an immediate red flag.

It certainly wasn’t a small impact, with Ocon having been left feeling a “bit sore”.

“It was a hard impact. I’m feeling a bit sore obviously after that one but it doesn’t matter we’ll go on racing,” Ocon said after the incident, as reported by RaceFans.net.

It was a truly bizarre incident, given that Alonso suddenly turned left right before Ocon crashed into him.

Some put the majority of the blame on Ocon for the snap he experienced on the exit of Turn 2; however, the Frenchman has insisted that he was in full control.

Ocon argued that the “whole paddock” was going through the second corner exactly as he did, perhaps in an attempt to put the blame on Alonso.

The Alpine driver insisted that Alonso “didn’t leave enough space”, although it was ultimately deemed as a racing incident by the stewards.

Had it not been for the collision, then Ocon believes progressing to SQ2 was on the cards.

“It’s a difficult one to swallow because we were on for a good improvement on that lap we were going to go through in SQ2,” said Ocon.

READ: Sauber breaks silence on Audi exit

“But we found Fernando in the way. I heard people saying I lost the car, it’s not true. We had corrections like that throughout the whole paddock, even on Lando [Norris’] quickest lap he had a correction there and ran wide like this.

“Fernando steered to the left in the middle of the corner and didn’t leave enough space and we collided. But in the end it doesn’t matter about that, that’s something that happened, obviously we will now go on and focus on the race.”

Miraculously, both cars were repaired in time for the sprint race, although both failed to score any points.

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The French outfit, despite experiencing a somewhat disappointing 2023 season, currently holds the sixth position in the constructors’ standings with five races remaining.

This surge of investment followed the entry of Hollywood actors and co-owners of League Two outfit Wrexham, Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, into the Alpine fold back in June. 

At the commencement of the season, Alpine also proudly unveiled Real Madrid and French World Cup winner, Zinedine Zidane, as a team ambassador.

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The latest chapter in Alpine’s journey to greatness introduces six remarkable additions to their roster of investors. 

Notable among these are Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce, both of whom are two-time Super Bowl champions representing the Kansas City Chiefs. 

Alpine has also welcomed British boxing sensation Anthony Joshua, world-renowned golfer Rory McIlroy, Liverpool’s vice-captain Trent Alexander-Arnold, and former Chelsea and Manchester United midfielder Juan Mata.

Reportedly, Alpine has secured a substantial £173 million [$200 million] investment, facilitated by Otro Capital, a venture embraced by these six sporting luminaries along with Eberg Capital founder, Roger Ehrenberg.

The group of investors eagerly embraced this monumental opportunity, with NFL quarterback Patrick Mahomes stating, “I’ve always had a passion for all sports. 

The opportunity to lead an investor group with Travis in Alpine F1 alongside Otro Capital was one I couldn’t pass up. 

“It’s an exciting time for the sport, and this is an opportunity to bring our shared values to the world stage.”

His teammate Travis Kelce added, “I am thrilled to lead an investor group and join forces with Patrick and the team at Otro Capital on this exciting venture with Alpine F1. 

“Our shared passion for excellence and innovation forms the cornerstone of this partnership. 

“It’s about being able to contribute to a sport that demands precision, teamwork, and relentless pursuit of success. 

“I am looking forward to this new chapter and can’t wait to see what we achieve together.”

The involvement of NFL stars holds particular significance, given the recent support of Taylor Swift, a notable supporter of the Chiefs, present at numerous games. T

he allure of Formula One may very well entice Swift, along with other Chiefs players, to future races, including those in Miami and Las Vegas during the 2024 season.

READ: Mick Schumacher takes major step to racing return

Ryder Cup star Rory McIlroy, expressing his enthusiasm, shared a bicep flexing emoji on Instagram to highlight his involvement, stating, “Passion for excellence on the golf course has led me to admire the same pursuit in Formula 1. 

Partnering with Otro Capital in Alpine F1 is an exhilarating venture that unites my love for sports, competition, and the relentless drive to be the best.”

Two-time heavyweight world champion Anthony Joshua eagerly seized the opportunity, asserting, “The heritage of the team, mixed with the global growth of Formula 1 as a sport and brand, made this a very serious proposition.”

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The celebrity investors are part of the Otro Capital investment group, which currently holds a 24 percent stake in the Alpine F1 team. 

While these new investors won’t directly contribute to the team’s budget, they bring prestige and diversification to the project.

Lewis Hamilton, with a net worth of £235 million, and Max Verstappen, valued at £74 million, are F1’s leading stars with a combined estimated net worth of £309 million. 

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However, Otro Capital had already boasted influential backers, including Hollywood personalities Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds, who own League Two football club Wrexham. 

Their involvement in the Alpine project in 2023 marked the beginning of this star-studded investment group.

In addition to McElhenney and Reynolds, seven more notable partners have joined the Otro Capital fold, including six renowned athletes and iconic U.S.-based investor Roger Ehrenberg. 

The new investors include football luminaries Juan Mata (£49 million) and Trent Alexander-Arnold (£3 million), golf legend Rory McIlroy (£170 million), and boxing sensation Anthony Joshua, who is expanding his investment portfolio. 

Completing the group are Kansas City Chiefs stars Patrick Mahomes (£58 million) and Travis Kelce (£25 million).

When combined, these six athletes have an estimated collective net worth of £371 million. 

When added to Reynolds’ (£288 million) and McElhenney’s (£50 million) worth, the celebrity investors possess substantial financial power. 

Altogether, they represent a joint net worth of £709 million, which is more than double the combined net worth of Hamilton and Verstappen (£309 million).

Travis Kelce shared his enthusiasm for the Alpine F1 project, explaining, “I am thrilled to lead an investor group and join forces with Patrick and the team at Otro Capital on this exciting venture with Alpine F1. 

“Our shared passion for excellence and innovation forms the cornerstone of this partnership. 

“It’s about being able to contribute to a sport that demands precision, teamwork, and relentless pursuit of success. 

“I am looking forward to this new chapter and can’t wait to see what we achieve together.”

Patrick Mahomes, a two-time NFL MVP, also expressed his excitement about the investment opportunity with Alpine F1, stating, “I’ve always had a passion for all sports. 

READ: Sergio Perez urged by team boss to run away from Max Verstappen

“The opportunity to lead an investor group with Travis in Alpine F1 alongside Otro Capital was one I couldn’t pass up. 

“It’s an exciting time for the sport, and this is an opportunity to bring our shared values to the world stage. 

“I’m looking forward to being a part of its growth.”

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The race weekend in Qatar was marked by scorching temperatures, with the mercury frequently soaring above 35 degrees Celsius. 

The intensity of the race was further heightened by the mandate for 18-lap maximum stints per tire compound, a precautionary measure to address concerns regarding the tires’ response to the kerbs. 

With less worry about tire wear, drivers were able to push their vehicles harder, leading to a continuous barrage of fast laps, all while grappling with the oppressive heat inside the cockpit.

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Ocon revealed that early in the Grand Prix, he experienced severe discomfort, including nausea, while Williams driver Logan Sargeant withdrew from the competition due to his deteriorating health.

Speaking to the media after the race, Ocon expressed his astonishment at the extremely challenging conditions he faced. 

He stated, “In Jeddah, that’s how it feels, a flat-out push from start to finish. 

“But I never felt something like that. It was so hot that I wanted to open the visor in the straight line because I had no air. 

“I was trying to also guide, with my hand, some air into the helmet because the more I was breathing to try and get everything lower, the more heat was coming inside the helmet. 

“It was hell in there. 

“But next year, we’re coming [later] so that should be better.”

READ: Why George Russell is furious at Lewis Hamilton

When asked if he had contemplated retiring from the race due to his physical discomfort, Ocon responded resolutely, saying, “No. You need to kill me before I retire. It’s true.”

Ocon is currently battling to finish in the top 10 of the Drivers’ standings, with just three points separating him from Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll.

Splitting the pair is Ocon’s teammate Pierre Gasly, with the two having put Alpine in P6 of the Constructors’ Standings.

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The physically demanding 57-lap race on Sunday pushed many drivers to their limits, with several requiring medical attention due to the scorching heat.

One of the most significant incidents involved Logan Sargeant, who retired from the race due to intense dehydration. 

His Williams teammate, Alex Albon, also faced difficulties and had to be treated for acute heat exposure at the medical centre after struggling to exit his car. 

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Esteban Ocon revealed that he had vomited inside his helmet during the race, while Lance Stroll admitted to experiencing “blurry” vision in the closing laps. 

Race-winner Max Verstappen characterised the extreme temperatures, which exceeded 30 degrees Celsius, as “just too extreme.”

Reflecting on his ordeal, George Russell expressed, “It was an absolutely brutal race, by far the most physical I have ever experienced. 

“I felt close to fainting. 

“I felt ill during this race. 

“It was insane how hot it was. 

“It was like you were inside an oven. 

“I sometimes train in saunas, and you push your body to the limit, and you get to a point where it’s too hot, and you’re like, ‘I want to get out.’ 

“That was the feeling from about lap 12. 

“There were points when I thought I was going to faint. 

“It was unbelievable.” 

Looking ahead to the next year’s Qatar Grand Prix, Russell noted that it is scheduled to take place six weeks later, potentially offering cooler conditions for the drivers.

Remarkably, despite his challenging start following a first-lap collision with his Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton, George Russell managed an impressive recovery to finish fourth. 

Hamilton accepted responsibility for the incident and issued an apology to Russell, who emphasised their mutual respect and the intention to move past the incident.

“We both had the possibility of standing on the podium,” Russell told Sky. 

“Obviously, there was nothing intentional, both ways. 

“These cars are so difficult to see when you’re racing. 

READ: Ex-F1 champion brutally tears apart spoilt Lance Stroll

“There are big blind spots. 

“We have so much respect for one another. 

“We’ll get past this.”

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The race was marred by intense heat, leading to several drivers experiencing medical issues post-race, including visits to the medical centre by Lance Stroll, Alex Albon, and Logan Sargeant, despite Max Verstappen’s victory.

Ocon, who achieved an impressive seventh-place finish for Alpine, disclosed that he endured a particularly demanding ordeal. 

By lap 15, he found himself vomiting inside his helmet, a distressing experience that he managed to overcome through sheer mental resilience. 

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Ocon recounted, “I was throwing up yeah, by lap 15, 16, for two laps, I think. 

“Managed to get it under control I think just mentally, tried to focus on exactly what I had to do. 

“I’ve never had that in the past.

“I’ve always been able to do two race distances in the car. 

“It must have been like 80 degrees [Fahrenheit] inside the car today.”

The challenging conditions inside the cockpit compounded as Ocon breathed heavily to regain composure in the corners, further intensifying the heat within his helmet. 

READ: Carlos Sainz slapped with warning after Max Verstappen lashes out 

The experience left him profoundly shaken, as he described it as “honestly horrible.”

Fortunately for Ocon, he now has a well-deserved respite ahead of him, with a two-week gap before the upcoming US Grand Prix in Texas. 

This break will provide him with the opportunity to recover and prepare for the challenges of the next race.

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