Hulkenberg and Ocon Set for Abu Dhabi Test With New Teams
Nov.12 - Esteban Ocon has been approved by Alpine to test for his 2025 Formula 1 team Haas before the end of his existing contract. The Frenchman will get an early taste of the..
Name | Esteban Ocon |
Country | France |
Height | 1.86 meter / 6 feet 1 inch |
Place of Birth | Évreux |
Date of Birth | Sep 17th 1996 - 28 years old |
Season Entries | 8 |
Car Number | 31 |
First Race | 2016 Belgian F1 GP |
Last Race | 2024 Brazilian F1 GP |
Best Qualifying | 3rd - (3 times) |
First Win | 2021 Hungarian F1 GP |
Last Win | 2021 Hungarian F1 GP |
F1 Teams History | Manor (2016) Force India (2017-2018) Racing Point (2018) Renault (2020) Alpine (2021-2024) |
Esteban Ocon F1 Stats | |
Grand Prix Entries | 154 |
Grand Prix Starts | 154 |
Total Points | 445.00 |
Avg. Points per GP | 2.89 |
Grand Prix Wins | 1 (0,6%) |
Pole Positions | 0 |
Avg. GP Grid | 11.6 |
GP Podiums | 4 (2,6%) |
GP Fastest Laps | 1 (0,6%) |
GP Points Finish | 86 (55,8%) |
Avg. GP Position | 9.9 |
GP Retirements | 24 (15,6%) |
GP DNF's | 22 (14,3%) |
Total GP Laps | 8.238 |
Esteban Ocon started his racing career in 2006 with karting. He ended up in 8th place in the French mini-championship. In 2007 and 2008 he became champion and switched over to the Euro Series until 2011. He won the French KF3 title and scored 2nd place in the European championship.
In 2012 he started racing in the Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0. He scored a podium and ended the season in 14th place in the championship. Next year in 2013 he won the first race on the Hockenheimring and ended up as 3rd in the championship.
In 2013 he also made his debut in Formula 3 to take part in the Grand Prix of Macau. In 2014 he raced in the European F3 championship and won it. He won 9 races and had to race against some tough competition like Max Verstappen those days.
His F1 career started at Lotus in 2014. He took was selected for their young driver program. His first lap times were clocked on the Yas Marina circuit for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. He drove 28 laps during free practice. In 2015 he was asked to test for Force India, switched to DTM, and then was asked to become a test driver at the Mercedes F1 team.
In 2016 he moved back to Lotus which was bought back by Renault to be their reserve driver in 2016. His first race, however, was not at Renault, but at Manor. He took Rio Haryanto's seat at the Belgian Grand Prix and stayed there to drive all races of the season. He didn't score any points but was able to be faster in the last two races than high-profiled teammate Pascal Wehrlein.
Financial problems were the end of Manor and Ocon had to look for a new seat to race in 2017. Esteban got a racing seat at Force India to replace Nico Hulkenberg who left the team to race at Renault. Ocon drove a very good first season at Force India. His performance was steady. He retired only once in Brazil because he got hit by Roman Grosjean's Haas and crashed into the barrier.
He scored 87 points in 2017 and his best finish was fifth in Mexico and Spain. His best quali was third in Italy, where he finished sixth. A fierce battle inside the squad was giving the team's management a hard time. Sergio Pérez and Ocon crashed into each other several times and often refused to work as a unit.
In 2018, he also raced at Force India alongside Pérez. Both drivers had a hard time beating each other again and collided on the track several times. In Singapore, Perez pushed Ocon into the wall of Turn 3 right after the start and had to retire.
Ocon's best moment was in Spa when his future in F1 had become uncertain because the Force India team was bought by a consortium led by Lawrence Stroll (father of Lance). Rumors said that Ocon's seat at the now-named Racing Point F1 team would go to Lance Stroll in the following 2019 season.
Although Ocon qualified third in Belgium, he was ousted by Stroll. His worst moment of 2018 was during the Brazilian GP when he crashed into race leader Max Verstappen. Ocon was trying to unlap himself in lap 44, but the pair crashed. Both drivers spun and Verstappen lost his lead to Hamilton, the eventual race-winner. Verstappen was out of control after the race and shoved Ocon around.
During the 2019 F1 season, Ocon was the reserve driver at Mercedes. Rumors said that he would return to the grid in 2020 at Mercedes to replace Valtteri Bottas and drive alongside Lewis Hamilton, but it didn't happen.
Instead, on the 29th of August, Ocon got the news that he had signed a contract for two years to drive for Renault next to Daniel Ricciardo.
Ocon's return in the 2020 F1 season was a bit of a struggle, as he had difficulties matching his teammate Daniel Ricciardo's pace. He probably saved his career by scoring a podium at the Sakhir Grand Prix for Renault to secure his seat for the newly named Alpine F1 Team in 2021.
Esteban Ocon performed well against Fernando Alonso in the early part of the 2021 Formula 1 season and he eventually won the 2021 Hungarian Grand Prix, taking advantage of a big crash in the early part of the race and strategic mistakes from Mercedes.
Ocon's win at Hungary was his only podium of the 2021 campaign, but he also recorded a couple of Top-5 finishes and even lost a podium right at the finish line in the 2021 Saudi Arabia Grand Prix at the hands of Valtteri Bottas and his Mercedes.
Eventually, Ocon finished 11th in the WDC with 74 points, right behind Alonso, who scored 81.
Ocon had his best Formula 1 season in 2022, at least in terms of points scored.
The Frenchman led Alpine to its best-ever result in the World Constructors' Championship (fourth) and was the best-positioned Alpine driver in the World Drivers' Championship, with an eighth place and 92 points scored, 11 more than his experienced teammate Fernando Alonso.
In the 2022 Japanese Grand Prix, Ocon had a great defensive race to keep Lewis Hamilton behind in the rain and finished fourth, his and the team's best result of 2022.
Ocon had a new challenge in the Alpine team after Alonso's departure. Pierre Gasly, another French who had won a Grand Prix, joined the French team.
Gasly quickly showed his abilities and ultimately led the teammate battle in points (62-58) and the qualifying battle (14-8).
Still, Ocon had a good season and showed his speed. in the 2023 Monaco Grand Prix, Ocon finished third in the Grand Prix with a tremendous race. He finished behind World Champions Max Verstappen and Fernando Alonso. Moreover, he kept seven-time World Champion Lewis Hamilton behind after a good battle for the podium.
After that, Ocon traded some scoring finishes and some lows before returning to a Top 5, with his tremendous drive at Las Vegas which resulted in a fourth place.
Ocon finished the season in 12th in the WDC with 58 points (his lowest tally since 2018).
Official Esteban Ocon website: https://www.esteban-ocon.com
2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
21st | 8th | 12th | 12th | 11th | 8th | 12th | 14th |
Year | Team | Engine | GP | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | Pod | Pole | Laps | FL | Avg Pts | Points |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2024 | Alpine | Renault | 21 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1187 | 1 | 1.10 | 23 |
2023 | Alpine | Renault | 22 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1112 | 0 | 2.64 | 58 |
2022 | Alpine | Renault | 22 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1244 | 0 | 4.18 | 92 |
2021 | Alpine | Renault | 22 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1153 | 0 | 3.36 | 74 |
2020 | Renault | Renault | 17 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 861 | 0 | 3.65 | 62 |
2018 |
Force India Racing Point |
Mercedes Mercedes | 21 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1055 | 0 | 2.33 | 49 |
2017 | Force India | Mercedes | 20 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1118 | 0 | 4.35 | 87 |
2016 | Manor | Mercedes | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 508 | 0 | 0.00 | 0 |
1st | 1 Time |
2nd | 2 Times |
3rd | 1 Time |
4th | 3 Times |
5th | 5 Times |
6th | 12 Times |
7th | 11 Times |
8th | 17 Times |
9th | 18 Times |
10th | 15 Times |
11th | 6 Times |
12th | 6 Times |
13th | 8 Times |
14th | 10 Times |
15th | 4 Times |
16th | 4 Times |
17th | 1 Time |
18th | 5 Times |
21st | 2 Times |
DNF | 22 Times |
DSQ | 1 Time |
Year | Race | No | Team | Engine | Grid | Pos | Retired | Pts | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
4 | 2024 | 2024 Brazilian F1 GP | 31 | Alpine | Renault | 4 | 2 | 18 | |
3 | 2023 | 2023 Monaco F1 GP | 31 | Alpine | Renault | 3 | 3 | 15 | |
2 | 2021 | 2021 Hungarian F1 GP | 31 | Alpine | Renault | 8 | 1 | 25 | |
1 | 2020 | 2020 Sakhir F1 GP | 31 | Renault | Renault | 11 | 2 | 18 |
Year | Race | No | Team | Engine | Grid | Pos | Retired | Pts |
---|
Year | Team | Team Mate | Best Pos | Points | Wins | Poles | Pos | Quali | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2016 | Manor | Pascal Wehrlein | 12 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 7 |
2017 | Force India | Sergio Pérez | 5 | 4 | 87 | 100 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 12 | 7 | 13 |
2018 | Force India | Sergio Pérez | 6 | 3 | 49 | 62 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 11 | 15 | 6 |
Racing Point | Sergio Pérez | 6 | 3 | 49 | 62 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 11 | 15 | 6 | |
2020 | Renault | Daniel Ricciardo | 2 | 3 | 62 | 119 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 13 | 2 | 15 |
2021 | Alpine | Fernando Alonso | 1 | 3 | 74 | 81 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 12 | 11 | 11 |
2022 | Alpine | Fernando Alonso | 4 | 5 | 92 | 81 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 9 | 9 | 13 |
2023 | Alpine | Pierre Gasly | 3 | 3 | 58 | 62 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 11 | 8 | 14 |
2024 | Alpine | Pierre Gasly | 2 | 3 | 23 | 26 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 9 | 12 | 9 |
Nov.12 - Esteban Ocon has been approved by Alpine to test for his 2025 Formula 1 team Haas before the end of his existing contract. The Frenchman will get an early taste of the..
Oct.27 - The 2024 Mexico City Grand Prix has thrown Alpine driver Esteban Ocon into the spotlight due to a technical infraction involving power unit components. According to the..
Oct.17 - Esteban Ocon decided to sign with Haas without knowing the Ferrari-powered team would go on to also announce a new alliance with Toyota. Ocon, whose relationship with the..
Oct.10 - Esteban Ocon insists he doesn't want to make "headlines" by offering his real opinion about Alpine's decline in Formula 1. But the French driver, who is switching to the..
Sep.20 - Esteban Ocon has hinted that he's looking forward to putting his Alpine adventure behind him, as it has detracted from the "fun" of racing in Formula 1. Baku last weekend..
Jul.31 - Haas team boss Ayao Komatsu has defended his decision to sign the talented but controversial Esteban Ocon for 2025. The move ousts the team's long-standing Danish racer..
Jul.26 - Esteban Ocon has confirmed that he decided to leave Alpine "a long time ago". On Thursday at Spa, after a long period of rumours linking the departing Alpine driver with..
Jul.20 - Esteban Ocon admits he recently visited Williams' F1 factory in Grove for a seat fitting. However, Canal Plus reports that the departing Alpine driver is definitely..
Jul.19 - Esteban Ocon has renewed his criticism of Alpine, as it emerges he even wanted to leave the team before the 2024 season is even complete. Amid on and off-track conflicts..
Jul.10 - A new and wild rumour is circulating that Japanese carmaker giant Toyota could be considering a return to Formula 1. According to the speculation, the marque - having..
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