Ocon: “I am confident for 2020”

While many pilots are reaching the end of their contracts, the attractiveness ofEsteban Ocon is in full swing during this summer period. 

“I exchange a lot with Toto wolff and the senior management of Mercedes who are not worried about my future in F1, confides the native of Évreux on the official Formula 1 website. This season, discussions restarted very early, so I'm confident for 2020, fingers crossed. »

Discussions are all the more advanced as the Frenchman has learned a lot this year from the German team, undefeated in the V6 turbo/hybrid realm since 2014.

“It’s a very good thing for me to be part of this very great team, underlined the 22-year-old pilot. I made a lot of progress this year alongside them at the factory in terms of driving, my relationship with the team, and feedback on the machine. I worked very hard in the simulator sometimes doing sessions of 200 laps to get one or two tenths. Now I am a complete pilot. »

A driver who says he is complete as well as aware of the importance of being on the starting grid from 2020 otherwise he will no longer be followed as much by the teams.

“If you are not a starter, we forget you, recalls Normand. This is probably why I haven't ridden in other disciplines this year. I will only do it if no opportunity arises in F1, which remains my absolute goal. My only goal. Regarding driving an F1 car, I think that in one year, things don't change too much. On the other hand, if I miss two years, the situation may be different. »

If Esteban Ocon seems to have a good chance of finding a seat in a stable, Renault appears in pole position for 2020 a few days before the Spa-Francorchamps Grand Prix. 

Even where a year earlier, the Frenchman had won third place in qualifying in the pouring rain, just behind the pole sitter Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari) and Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes).