Ocon publicly criticised: is he saving his career here?
General
- Ludo van Denderen
Bruno Famin was angry. The Alpine team boss even spoke threateningly that there would be consequences for Esteban Ocon, who squandered expensive points at the Monaco Grand Prix with an elephantine action. It is now just under a week on and Esteban Ocon has posted a detailed statement on Instagram. In short: the Frenchman is repenting and is extremely annoyed by the amount of online abuse he has received.
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Ocon's statement
In his post, Ocon writes: "Much has been said in the aftermath of the Monaco Grand Prix. While I received many messages of support, I have been deeply saddened by the amount of abuse and negativity that I have received online regarding my character, my driving and my career. Thanks to the hard work, support, and sacrifices of many people, I’ve raced in over 140 Grands Prix so far since my debut in 2016. I have always been a tough competitor and like most drivers, I’ve had my share of incidents."
"I have been lucky to race alongside talented and experienced teammates including race winners Daniel [Ricciardo], Checo [Sergio Perez], Pierre [Gasly], and a double world champion in Fernando [Alonso]. As teammates, we would often start races very close to each other which in some cases meant some tough battles on track and sometimes contact. Of course, I have made honest mistakes. We are not robots; we are athletes pushing ourselves to the limit every day to achieve our dreams of winning races."
"F1 is a sport where emotions run high, and passions run deep. I see and feel this every weekend at the track and on social media…the good and the bad. But the misinformed statements and gross distortions that I have read online in recent days about my ability to work with a team have been inaccurate, hurtful and damaging. Since my first laps in motorsport, I have approached this sport with humility, professionalism and respect. These values were instilled in me from a very young age. While each driver chases individually glory, this will always be a team sport first and foremost. I have always followed instructions I have been given and raced to achieve the maximum for and with my team."
"I took responsibility for incident on lap 1 last Sunday and despite my DNF, I am glad the team added a point to the tally in what has been a difficult start to the season for all of us. I respect Pierre as a teammate and as a competitor. We have always worked collaboratively and professionally inside the team and this will continue to be the case."
"There is no reward without risk in Formula One - and race starts are intense, even more so in Monaco where the opening lap can dictate your finishing result. In the end, we are all competitors and hard, fair racing throughout the field is what makes our sport so great and the main reason why I love this sport so much. I’m looking forward to competing in Montreal, in front of fantastic Canadian fans and to the exciting opportunities the future holds."
Ocon nevertheless has little future at Alpine
Despite Ocon's open apology, at Alpine the realisation has probably sunk in for good: the experiment with Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon in one team is not a success. There had been warnings beforehand, as everyone knew that the two French drivers were by no means friends. Yet Alpine decided to put the pair side by side, expecting that here would be two mature, professional people at work. Sheer hope.
After a number of incidents on the track - with the clash in Monaco being the low point - it was clear: this was not going to work out at Alpine. One piece of luck for Alpine: Gasly and Ocon's contracts expire after the current season, and no doubt the French will part company with one of the two ruffians. Chances are Alpine will thank Ocon for the services rendered.
During his time at Racing Point, it had to be put in black and white that Ocon and then teammate Sergio Perez would no longer fight each other in the races, as there had already been enough bickering between them. And Fernando Alonso - himself not averse to quarrelling with teammates - was also completely done with Ocon at one point during their time together at Alpine.
Nothing has come easy to Ocon
Ocon is really a friendly young man, but once in the car, his lights sometimes go out. Then he thinks of one thing: the importance of Esteban Ocon. Is it because of the way he grew up? After all, Ocon does not have rich parents whose euros bought his son a nice racing career. No, Ocon did not come by chance. He has always had to work very hard to get to where he is today. You can still see that killer mentality today.
Every team in Formula 1 will recognise that Ocon is a driver who belongs in the sport in terms of speed. But there is probably also the doubt. Because bringing in Ocon is almost a guarantee of internal hassle. Williams, for instance, did not have the Frenchman on its wish list for '25 and beyond. Team boss James Vowles, who previously worked closely with Ocon at Mercedes, fears the team process could be damaged with the 27-year-old driver on board.
Haas the last chance for Ocon?
Ocon can reportedly count on interest from Audi and Haas, and possibly Mercedes is an option if Kimi Antonelli does not join the German squad after all. According to the rumour mill, Ocon is not particularly interested in Audi, where it will probably be years before the team is somewhat competitive. Rather, Ocon would be the successor to Kevin Magnussen - another enfant terrible on the grid. Indeed, Haas is the smallest F1 team, indicating that Ocon's career is moving in the wrong direction.
After his extended statement, Ocon is surely hoping for a second chance anywhere. However, the chances of this being his last chance are real.