• Home
  • News
  • F1
  • Ocon: “The limits have been pushed back on what can be done on an F1 circuit”
F1

Ocon: “The limits have been pushed back on what can be done on an F1 circuit”

The pilot Alpine points out the omnipresence of high-speed blind corners on the Jeddah street circuit.

Published on 02/12/2021 à 18:55

Medhi Casaurang

0 View comments)

Ocon: “The limits have been pushed back on what can be done on an F1 circuit”

Esteban Ocon (Alpine) expects a wild race in Saudi Arabia. © Florent Gooden / DPPI

Back on track thanks to his best performance in Qatar (5th) since his victorious Hungarian Grand Prix, Esteban Ocon (Alpine) approaches the unprecedented Saudi Arabian Grand Prix with the desire to aim “a finish in the top 10”.

The Frenchman took advantage of the first day of presence in Jeddah to give his informed opinion on a circuit with unusual characteristics for a so-called urban track. “The limits have been pushed back on what is possible on a racing circuit. F1. It's going to be hot, super hot. The walls are very close to the track, and we will brush past them at very high speed.

The most complicated part will be turn 4 and its entry which will be negotiated at more than 200 km/h. You will have to keep your speed on the following sequences. With the DRS open, we will have a small turn. Most of the corners have a blind trajectory entry.. You drop two gears, and you disconnect the brain,” he says jokingly.

“In reality, it’s very difficult to do. It will take time. It will be necessary to build confidence, avoid breakage and chain the tricks together. This is the only way I can let the horses go in qualifying. It’s the same process as in Monaco, but with a higher average speed. And then, the clearances are a little bigger here. »

The lack of visibility risks causing unpleasant surprises in the event of an accident, but Esteban Ocon prefers " do not think about it ". “It would be really bad luck for the car to stop at the apex of a corner, because with the speed I think it will stop further on. Yellow flags will go off instantly anyway. »

But with so many turns listed (27), how do you find the opening? “In sector 1, apart from the first braking, it will be practically impossible, until turn 13. Then, I will have to take advantage of the 27th turn to get closer to the car in front of me to try something at the next turn. »

The prospect of a perfect lap in qualifying will be all the more complicated as the high average speed will magnify small driving errors. “At this speed, you will have to anticipate the points where the steering wheel will turn. If we miss this point by even half a meter, it would already be too late. You will have to manage the rope points in the fast chicanes placed on the second half of the circuit. »

Comments collected by Jean-Michel Desnoues, in Jeddah

Medhi Casaurang

Passionate about the history of motorsport across all disciplines, I learned to read thanks to AUTOhebdo. At least that's what my parents tell everyone when they see my name inside!

0 View comments)

Read also

Comments

*The space reserved for logged in users. Please connect to be able to respond or post a comment!

0 Comment (s)

To write a comment