Alpine has announced that it will retain Esteban Ocon beyond the 2021 season, extending the Frenchman's contract for an additional three years.
Ocon, who made his F1 debut with Manor midway through the 2016 season, joined the Enstone squad ahead of the team's 2020 campaign after spending a year on the sidelines following his departure from Racing Point at the end of 2018.
The 24-year-old scored his first podium with the rebranded Renault outfit at Sakhir at the end of last year and has outperformed this season his teammate and two-time world champion Fernando Alonso.
"We are very proud to retain Esteban as part of the Alpine family," said the team's CEO Laurent Rossi.
"Since returning to the team in 2020, Esteban has grown in confidence and stature to deliver consistently good results and help develop the car with the team.
"Despite his young age, he is very experienced in Formula 1 and he’s on a positive trajectory in both his maturity and ability behind the wheel. He is a strong asset for us now, and also going forward as we meet the challenge of the new regulations.
©Alpine
"We have every confidence in Esteban to help drive the team and the brand to the next level and meet its long-term objectives. Esteban is an asset for us beyond F1 as he is deeply involved in the Alpine global project.
"Thanks to his personality and values, Esteban is naturally a perfect ambassador of Alpine.
"For now, we look forward to continuing the 2021 campaign at our home Grand Prix in France and doing the best possible job at every remaining race weekend."
Ocon will head into his home race with his confidence boosted by a new long-term contract with his employer.
"I’m delighted to continue with the team beyond this year and it’s a fantastic feeling to secure my future with Alpine," he said.
"We’ve been progressing well together since I joined the team and I aim to continue that journey going forward.
"There are great challenges ahead of us, especially with the new regulations in 2022. I’m sure we can hit our targets by working hard together and continuing the story.
"I often think back to the Sakhir Grand Prix last year with the podium, and it motivates me to create more special memories like that.
"I’m really looking forward to the next chapter but, for now, we’re very much focused on this season and taking each race as it comes."
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