F1
Ocon on his 100th Grand Prix in F1: “I hope to experience other highlights for the next hundred races! »
Esteban Ocon will pass the 100 Grand Prix mark in Formula 1 at Spielberg © Xavi Bonilla / DPPI
This is a level that deserves tribute. Esteban Ocon will participate in his hundredth race in Formula 1, during the Austrian Grand Prix. In the history books, he will be the 75th driver to reach this milestone and the 10th Frenchman to become a centenarian in F1. The 25-year-old Norman raced for the first time in Formula 1 during the 2016 Belgian Grand Prix for the now defunct Manor team.
The French driver, who worked for Force India before joining Renault (became Alpine) in 2020, admits not to realize. “Yes, it’s crazy how time flies! I don't feel like I've done that many races but it's great. It's very moving to feel this. Reaching 100 runs is something special in a career. »
“I’m a completely different driver compared to when I started,” says Ocon.
Esteban Ocon, who arrived in F1 with the help of Mercedes, has had an eventful career. Despite good performances during his Force India years, the purchase of the team by Lawrence Stroll pushed the native of Évreux towards the exit. After a year without a wheel in 2019, confined to a role as reserve driver with the Flèches d'Argent, the Frenchman found a seat at Renault the following season. “I’m definitely a completely different rider compared to when I started. I know a lot more about the sport, about performance, about how to tune a car, about how to work with a Formula 1 team. It feels good to get here. »
Since his arrival at Renault, Esteban Ocon has been able to taste champagne twice. By doing his own retrospective, Norman judges that the second part of his career is better than the first. “ I have also improved since my return. The milestone of 50 races was at the end of the 2018 season. I think the last 50 were much better than the first 50. I'm happy to have had two podiums including a victory. There are a lot of great highlights, but I hope to experience more for the next 100. »
Currently 9th in the drivers' championship with 39 points, Esteban Ocon would like to regain the points in Austria after his retirement at Silverstone.
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Dorian Grangier
A young journalist nostalgic for the motorsport of yesteryear. Raised on the exploits of Sébastien Loeb and Fernando Alonso.
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