SUMMARY
- Esteban Ocon drove alongside Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc during Karting and Formula 3.
- Ocon in pain as he is unable to win races and Championships like Verstappen and Leclerc.
Esteban Ocon made his F1 debut in 2016. He is now 27 years old. Given that this is around the same age as Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc, he grew up fighting with these drivers in Formula 3 and karting.
Today, while Charles and Max are off fighting for race wins and Championships, Esteban Ocon is unable to do so. This has left the French driver in pain and hopes to get into the fight for the Championship soon. However, Alpine may not be the best team for him if he wishes to do so.
Esteban Ocon in pain for not being able to fight for wins
During a recent interview, Esteban Ocon opened up about his pain as he is not able to fight with his rivals during Karting and Formula 3.
“It is a pain, for sure” Ocon says. “But I’m working still as if we are going for wins and podiums after every weekend. You have to re-adjust your target and my target is to get the best out of the car every race weekend.
“I believe if I work hard and do well on the track then my time will come. One day I will have a car that I can compete in for championships and wins. I’m looking forward to that.”
🚨 | Esteban Ocon believes he can fight for F1 Championships.
“If I work hard… my time will come.”https://t.co/zXzSx4Lozb
— formularacers (@formularacers_) January 1, 2024
During the 2014 Formula 3 season, Esteban was able to beat Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc to win the Championship. However, he has not had the opportunity to do so in Formula 1. While Max and Charles find themselves in top teams, Esteban Ocon drives for Alpine. The team has not been able to develop their car to fight for race wins and Championships yet. However, Max does not have the best relationship with Ocon.
Alpine took over for Renault after the 2021 season. Since then, they have not shown much signs of progress. Even their management keeps changing on a regular basis. This sort of management is not good for the team’s success. Esteban Ocon will be hoping that things turn around for the team in the coming days.
Alpine brutally succumbs to F1 rivals despite countless efforts
in 2021 and 2022, Alpine fought with McLaren and Aston Martin in the midfield. But they were unable to do so do the 2023 season. In 2023, McLaren and Aston Martin were able to get out of the midfield and went on to fight for podium finishes. During the first half of the season, Fernando Alonso was a regular to finish on the podium. During the second half of the 2023 season, McLaren also made the jump to becoming a regular on the podium.
While Aston Martin and McLaren went on to compete for bigger points, Alpine was left to fight with themselves. The teams that finished behind Alpine were the bottom teams, while the teams finishing above were the top teams. Out of all this, Red Bull was in a league of their own as they went on to win almost every race in 2023.
🚨 | Esteban Ocon is a top target for Audi, who will monitor his availability.
His existing contract expires this year:https://t.co/mrJQ9DKyOw
— formularacers (@formularacers_) January 6, 2024
Alpine will be looking to build a stronger car for the 2024 season. If they are unable to improve their performance, their capabilities as an F1 team will seriously be in doubt. Esteban Ocon will also have to start looking at other teams if he wishes to start winning races and the Championship in the future.
