That he seems so unimpressive baffles Esteban Ocon – After all, he had shown so much with a Grand Prix win and his performances against Fernando Alonso
Alpine driver Esteban Ocon thinks it’s “strange” that his achievements in Formula One aren’t recognised by everyone – especially when you consider he’s up against Fernando Alonso.
After the two-time world champion says goodbye to Aston Martin for 2023, Ocon will stay with Alpine next year. He has a contract until 2024 and will be able to prove his worth next year when he is given a new teammate to drive alongside and is expected to become number one in the team.
Ocon cannot understand why he is regularly passed over by the pundits when it comes to determining the best drivers in Formula One. He insists that only Lewis Hamilton, as the Spaniard’s teammate, has done a better job than he has. Ocon gave Alpine its first grand prix win since 2013 in Hungary in 2021, yet he is one of the most unimpressive figures in F1.
When asked about his reputation in the paddock, “I don’t read everything that is said about me. However, I hope that if I do well, it will be reported on accordingly. “
“But it’s true. There are people who say, ‘Oh, I didn’t notice your qualifying at Spa’ or ‘I forgot you won last year’. Yeah, it feels a bit strange, I have to admit.”
“It’s 9-7 for Fernando in qualifying, but I have a few more points on the account [66 to 59]. Last year it was 11:11 draw in qualifying. If you look at Fernando’s career, the only one who was on his level was Lewis [Hamilton 2007]. Everyone else didn’t do any better than me.”
“I personally feel I’m doing a good job. So it’s strange that some outsiders perceive it in a slightly different way. “
Past successes no guarantees
He says he has to smile today when he remembers the voices that predicted his career as Alonso’s teammate would go down the drain. That makes him feel all the prouder now.
“Yes, I heard that, but I’m still here, as you can see. Fernando is extremely fast. He doesn’t have to prove anything to anyone anymore. If you ask me if I have learnt from him, I would say ‘certainly’. But I hope that maybe he has learned something from me as well.”
But even with those achievements, the 2014 European Formula 3 champion and GP3 champion a year later knows, nothing is guaranteed in Formula 1. He points to the example of Daniel Ricciardo, once considered a potential world champion and now fearing for his future in the premier class.
I will have to disagree
– Jenson Button (@JensonButton) September 27, 2022
“I realise that there are no guarantees in Formula 1,” said the 26-year-old. “Even if you’ve won a race and proved yourself against a double world champion like Fernando, it doesn’t mean you’re guaranteed a future.”
“We see that now with the example of Daniel. Two years ago he was one of the absolute best drivers and today he has no guarantee of a place next season. You always have to be at the front and never stop [shining with strong performances].”
One person, however, strongly disagrees: Jenson Button, who was Fernando Alonso’s team-mate at McLaren in 2015 and 2016, says of Ocon’s thesis: “I have to disagree. “
