Esteban Ocon stood out in Abu Dhabi

Esteban Ocon is with Max Verstappen proof of the validity of the F3 European Championship. After winning the European title this season and taking part in his first test sessions at the wheel of old F1 with Ferrari and Lotus, the Frenchman, only 18 years old, was able to take part in his first free practice session as part of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at the wheel of the E22 of Romain Grosjean.

The task was far from easy but the future French hope did brilliantly by finishing in 16th position, just 3 tenths behind Pastor Maldonado. But more than the time, it is its feedback which particularly satisfied the engineers ofenstone. " It went very well. I had to adapt my driving compared to the car from the 2012 season (E20) because it is very different, whether in terms of driving or the multiple controls on the steering wheel which I constantly have to work on., explained Ocon in the Yas Marina paddock.

The young Lotus driver also showed maturity for his young age, a quality that some starters might even envy. “The first stint was not easy but I felt more comfortable in the 2nd and I was able to ride with some margin by adopting a fairly decent speed. I want to get back behind the wheel of an F1 soon, I will be there on Tuesday for the post-season testing, but I hope to have another chance after that. »