Since he landed in Formula 1, the French driver has been gaining a place on the grid to become the spearhead of the Alpine team for the next 2023 season after the departure of Fernando Alonso to Aston Martin.
Esteban Ocon has received praise from his team, who trust him for the role of first sword in what will be the second year with the current generation single-seaters, and proof of this is the contract that is guaranteed until the end of 2024 . However, the Frenchman believes that the rest of the teams are not aware of the work he is doing, because he considers that, after having shown that he is capable of fighting against Alonso, who is two-time world champion, and winning his first race in the Great Circus, only Lewis Hamilton has done better than him as a teammate of the Spaniard.
Speaking to Motorsport.com about his reputation in the paddock, Ocon said: “I don’t read everything that’s said about me, but I hope that when I do something good, it’s said, and that others can get an idea.
“But it is true that there are people who tell me ‘ah, I didn’t look at your classification in Spa, or ‘I forgot that you won last year’. I admit that it seems a bit strange to me,” said the French driver.
“At the end of the standings, compared to Fernando [Alonso], it’s 9-7 in his favor, but I have a few more points overall [Ocon has 66, while the Spaniard has 59],” he continued. “Last season, if we talk about the classification, we finished the course tied at 11”.
“If I look at Fernando’s career, the only teammate at his level has been Lewis [Hamilton], everyone else hasn’t done better than me,” reflected the Alpine man. “Personally, I feel like I’m doing a good job, so it’s a bit strange sometimes to see it perceived differently on the outside.”
Esteban Ocon also smiles when he remembers the number of times he was told that his path in Formula 1 would end when he faced the man from Oviedo, which makes him feel proud of having come out of his time sharing a team so well.
“I’ve heard it too, but I’m still here, right?” said the Frenchman. “It’s a good comparison from where we started last year, both in qualifying and in the races. Fernando is very, very fast, I don’t think he has anything to prove to anyone.”
“To those who say if I have learned from Fernando, I answer yes, but I hope that he has also been able to learn something from me,” continued the man who will be Alpine’s main driver in 2023.
Although Ocon is happy with the progression of his Grand Circus career, he is excited about the next two years at Enstone, and knows he cannot afford to believe he has a secure grid position. The one from Évreux cites the example of Daniel Ricciardo, who could be left without a team next year after his departure from McLaren.
“I understand that nothing is guaranteed in Formula 1,” he said. “Even if you’ve won a race, even if you’ve stood up to a two-time world champion like Fernando, you don’t have the security of having a guaranteed future.”
“We have the example of Daniel [Ricciardo]. Two years ago he was in the group of the best drivers, and today he is not guaranteed a seat for next season,” Ocon acknowledged. “You have to always be at the top, and be sure that you never have to give up.”
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