Formula 1 | Ocon calls Alonso “extreme animal” in Formula 1
Esteban Ocon currently leads team-mate Fernando Alonso by 11 points in the standings and could overtake him in points this year. Only Jenson Button in 2015, Lewis Hamilton in 2007 and… Tarso Márquez in 2001 (who in those two cases had the best ranking, after being tied on points) had previously beaten the Spaniard in a year.
Admittedly, reliability hasn’t helped Fernando Alonso this year – and he’s never been shy about pointing it out. However, Ocon could come out of this year with real satisfaction, at least with an accounting.
However, Esteban Ocon doesn’t care too much about the final ranking: he has in mind the “El Plan”, which, as he admitted to The Breed, aims for fewer than 100 Grand Prix victories and a 2026 finish.
“When the car is capable of seventh or eighth, it’s good to finish seventh or eighth, but what I want is to win. »
“I think we’re probably on the right track to make some progress. It’s not over yet, knock on wood, it will happen, but we’re moving in the right direction. »
Ocon is delighted to see his efforts rewarded, including the hard financial efforts for his parents since the beginning of his career.
“I’m glad you asked me this question because I’ve been working hard. I spend my whole life on this, every week I am at the factory to help the children, to develop everything I can. Sometimes I even get too confused! That is, I spend all my energy on it. »
“And to see that we’ve been able to make progress in terms of performance … it feels good when you see it going in the right direction. »
Ocon, next year’s Alpine standard driver?
Next year, Ocon promises to be the team’s technical leader, as Pierre Gasly will be new to this environment. How does he approach this prospect?
“It is certainly a great luxury to be able to build a long-term relationship with the team. From what I do in the simulator, I say, “Okay, we should have this next year,” and if I wasn’t sure when I said that, the team wouldn’t follow me. »
“And as ‘silly season’ gets more and more ridiculous, it’s a good thing you’re not involved. You’re never comfortable, but the thing I hate most about this sport is the political side. »
Ocon Alpine isn’t afraid to exercise its authority: last year it convinced its engineers it had a chassis problem with its single-seater. That was indeed the case, and we looked at Ojo’s poor performance midway through last season with a different eye.
“We found the problem and when we changed it we got back to where it needed to be, so I don’t think the team disagreed with what I said or it worked the other way around. When there is no result, we work together. »
“If the problem comes from me, first I say that I could have done better here, I could have finished higher, I shouldn’t have made a mistake here. Same goes for the team. This is the reason why our relationship is good and we can make progress together. »
Ocon and “animal Alonso”.
Even if he beats him on points, Esteban Ocon will have a lot of respect for his childhood idol, Fernando Alonso. But how is the Spaniard an out-of-category driver?
“He’s not a special driver, but he always takes things to the extreme. So if something works, he’ll go all the way in that direction, but as much as it might be a negative for me, I’m not copying/pasting everything he does, far from it. »
“But as he does, we share all the information, we share all the information and when he has a good corner he looks at it and tries everything and if he has a good time in the corner, with something very unusual about the car. settings or what he does with the instruments on the steering wheel, I will be inspired by that. This is normal. »
“But calling him a racing animal is an accurate description because he often goes to extremes of 300%. »
