Esteban Ocon turns 28: his five highlights with Alpine / Renault

2020 Sakhir Grand Prix

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Esteban Ocon lives again, in this 2020 season. The Frenchman, left on the sidelines in 2019 and deprived of the wheel after his non-renewal by Racing Point, finds a seat at Renault. The two parties know each other well: in 2016, when the Losange returned to 100% in Formula 1, the Normand was recruited as a reserve driver, having been a member of the Lotus F1 Junior Team between 2013 and 2015.

However, for his return to the grid, Esteban Ocon suffers from the comparison with his teammate Daniel Ricciardo. In a championship disrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic, the Australian achieved performances and even two podiums, while the Frenchman was content with small points, frustrated by four retirements during the season.

Deliverance comes during the unique Sakhir Grand Prix, on the unusual oval of the Bahraini track. Starting in 11th place, the Norman took advantage of the many racing events to find himself 4th two-thirds of the way through the race. A final Safety Car and an incredible boondoggle Classic Mercedes for sale in the stands allowed the No. 31 Renault to climb to second place, which he would never relinquish. Surrounded by the two Racing Bulls, Esteban Ocon signs his first podium in Formula 1 and becomes the 22nd French driver to achieve a podium in F1.

Hungarian Grand Prix 2021

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In 2021, Renault changes its name and becomes Alpine. The A fléché has ambition: to return to the summits by “100 Grands Prix” announces its new president, Laurent Rossi. In addition to recruiting Fernando Alonso, Alpine renews his confidence in Esteban Ocon. However, this season is more laborious than the previous one in the French clan: theAlpine A521 is not as efficient as its predecessor, and the team falls in the hierarchy.

Arriving in Hungary – Esteban Ocon’s favorite circuit and scene of Fernando Alonso’s first victory in Formula 1 – Alpine is far from aiming for a victory, even just the podium. It would take a miracle to achieve this. And this miracle is called Valtteri Bottas : on a wet track, the Finn makes a real strike at the first turn, eliminating the drivers Red Bull and the main favorites. Lance stroll imitates him by failing to brake and hitting Charles Leclerc. As a fox, Esteban Ocon slips through the carnage and takes second place before the red flag!

At the restart, while the sun is out, Esteban Ocon decides – like all the drivers… except Lewis Hamilton, then leader – to stop and switch to slicks. Bingo: the only one to take the intermediate start, the Briton misses his bet and has to return to the pits. L'Alpine No. 31 leads the Grand Prix.

For 65 laps, the Norman defended his position in front Sebastian Vettel and manages the gap. It will take all the talent of his teammate Fernando Alonso to keep Lewis Hamilton, although much faster, behind him and help Esteban Ocon to achieve his first victory in Formula 1. At 24, the Ébroïcien becomes the 14th Frenchman to win a Grand Price.

2021 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix

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Buoyed by their victory in Hungary, Esteban Ocon and Alpine ended the 2021 season with good performances in the Middle East: Fernando Alonso took a regular podium in Qatar and Esteban Ocon finished in fifth place. Two weeks later, for the first Grand Prix of Saudi Arabia, the A arrow hopes to continue its momentum... but the qualifications are less good than expected: the Frenchman gets into Q3 but only qualifies in ninth place.

On this ultra-fast route in Jeddah, however, the Frenchman will once again find himself in the right place, at the right time. On the 9th lap, the marshals deploy a Safety Car after the accident Mick Schumacher. Most of the drivers therefore go to the pits to change tires… except Esteban Ocon, who remains on the track. Three laps later, Michael Masi decided to bring out the red flag in order to replace the damaged barriers. A boon for the Habs, who climbed to 4th place and with the possibility of changing their tires!

At the restart, Esteban Ocon takes advantage of the battle between the two protagonists of the championship, Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton, to overtake the Briton at the second corner and go second! A pileup in the peloton a few seconds later forced the race direction to bring out the red flag a second time.

And there, a real mess is organized: Verstappen having overtaken Hamilton by leaving the limits of the track, he must give him back the position... but how to do with an Ocon inserted between the two? After long negotiations, the solution was found: place Ocon on pole, ahead of Hamilton and Verstappen! For the first time, the Frenchman will start from first place for this third start!

Logically, theAlpine quickly gave in to the two drivers, but Esteban Ocon managed to resist against Valtteri Bottas and maintain his third place... until the final straight. In a real “drag race”, the Norman loses the podium at the finish line to the Finn. A fourth place with a bitter taste, at the end of one of the craziest Grands Prix of the 21st century.

2022 Japanese Grand Prix

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In 2022, the new technical regulations allow Alpine to take a step forward in terms of performance: the A arrow asserts itself as the 4th force in the field despite its hazardous reliability, which allows its pilots to score some brilliant feats. In Japan, the two A522s were at ease in qualifying: Esteban Ocon qualified fifth, Fernando Alonso seventh.

The next day, rain came to Suzuka. The Frenchman, like a good Norman, has a card to play in conditions he likes. After a cautious start, the pilot Alpine gains a position following the exit of the track of Carlos Sainz, left in front of him. The damage on the track, as well as the rain which increased in intensity, caused the red flag to be displayed.

After an interminable wait of almost two hours, the Japanese Grand Prix resumes for just 45 minutes. Forced to start on wet tires, Esteban Ocon quickly put on intermediates on a drying track. He emerges in front of Lewis Hamilton: a long battle then begins between the two drivers. Determined to grab fourth place, which would be his best performance of the season, the No. 31 defends his position body and soul and gives the Briton a lesson in defense. The Frenchman resisted the pressure from the seven-time world champion and crossed the finish line in fourth place.

Monaco Grand Prix 2023

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The year 2023 is not starting off in the best conditions for Alpine : the car, the A523, is not as efficient as in 2022 and the start of the season is eventful, including an accident between Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly, his new teammate, at the very end of the Australian Grand Prix.

In the streets of the Principality, however, Esteban Ocon sublimates himself and takes a superb 4th place in Q3, his best qualification since the 2018 Belgian Grand Prix! A position of crucial importance in Monaco, more than elsewhere. In the evening, another good news delights the clan Alpine : Charles Leclerc, third in Q3, is penalized on the starting grid for obstructing Lando Norris during qualifying. The Norman will therefore start from third place on the grid!

Esteban Ocon manages to maintain his position at the start, but quickly finds himself under pressure from Carlos Sainz. The Spaniard tries to pass through the exit of the Tunnel, without success. The Frenchman seems to be heading easily towards the podium... but in the sky, rain threatens more than ever.

She finally falls on the 50th lap: like most of the other drivers, the n°31 goes into the pits to put on the intermediates and comes out behind George Russell… but he makes a mistake at Mirabeau and hands third place to Esteban Ocon! The positions are now fixed, the Norman offers Alpine a superb third place in Monaco for a prestigious podium!

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