Why Alpine driver Esteban Ocon goes into raptures about modern Formula 1 and what he hopes for from the new technical regulations from 2022
Formula 1 is doing a lot of things right at the moment, says Alpine driver Esteban Ocon. He enthuses: the racing series has recently made a “fantastic” development. “Of course: there are still things we could do better.” But he says the 2021 Formula 1 season in particular has shown that the grand prix scene is well on the way to generating more public interest.
Ocon points to the final race of 2021 in Abu Dhabi with the world championship decided in the final metres in favour of Max Verstappen and says: “The last race lap sums up the whole season perfectly. It’s just crazy [in the races] until the last lap. It was like that [in the 2020 season] and again in 2021.”
This unpredictability is good for Formula 1, Ocon explains further, especially for teams from the broad midfield: “I can still remember 2017 and 2018. That’s when a sixth place felt like a win. You just didn’t have a chance of a podium or even a lead lap. “
That has changed a lot. Ocon cites the surprise victories of AlphaTauri driver Pierre Gasly at Monza in 2020 and McLaren driver Daniel Ricciardo at Monza in 2021, also counting his own success at the 2021 Hungarian Grand Prix. “We’ve seen a lot of different cars on the podium,” says Ocon. “That’s great, and that’s exactly how it should be.”
And he says he’s in good spirits that Formula 1 could become even more entertaining under the new Technical Regulations from 2022. Ocon’s thesis on this: “If the cars are closer together, then Formula 1 can even overtake football in terms of excitement. Because everyone is talking about Formula 1. I have friends who hadn’t been involved with it before, but now they are all over it. “
Ocon also sees the courage of those responsible to try “new formats” as positive. The Alpine driver is alluding to the sprint races that will be held for the first time in 2021. This, he says, has opened up new opportunities for drivers and teams. “It gave us a chance to fight, even though we weren’t actually fast enough for the top 10.” It also improved the Formula 1 product, Ocon said.
The Hungary winner will start again alongside former champion Fernando Alonso for the French Alpine team in the 2022 season. What’s more, his Formula 1 contract has already been extended in 2021 for three more years up to and including 2024.
