Esteban Ocon is one of the many young French drivers who have made their mark in Formula 1 in recent years. With the support of Mercedes, which included him in their talent program, he entered the premier class. In 2023, Ocon will be racing for the Alpine team for the third year, this time with a compatriot (Pierre Gasly) by his side.
Early Rivalries
Ocon, a rival of Max Verstappen in his youth, has had quite a few employers despite his age. The general public first became acquainted with Ocon in 2016 when he joined Manor Racing as a replacement for Rio Haryanto, entering the exclusive club of Formula 1 drivers. He then spent two thrilling years at Force India, where he fought relentless duels on the asphalt with teammate Sergio Pérez and proved himself as a full-fledged Formula 1 pilot.
However, he lost his seat when billionaire Lawrence Stroll took over Force India and promoted his son Lance. Mercedes, still his employer, parked Ocon at their own team as a test driver. In 2020, Renault picked up the Frenchman. His debut year with his new employer was challenging: Ocon was no match for teammate Daniel Ricciardo. Yet, he achieved the best result ever for Renault since its return in 2016 at the penultimate GP in Bahrain: Ocon finished second.
Victorious Moments
After Ricciardo’s departure, Ocon had to deal with a new teammate of note. Fernando Alonso returned to Formula 1 with his old team. The Spaniard aimed for explosive successes but had a lot of bad luck. Ocon, on the other hand, achieved a resounding success in Hungary. In a crazy Grand Prix, he secured a win for his team, partly thanks to the help of Alonso who managed to hold off a surging Hamilton for long enough.
The team is focusing on 2022 and the new regulations. In a very fluctuating season, the fourth place was taken by the constructors, Ocon finished steadily in the top 10 but had no outliers. In 2023, he welcomes an old acquaintance as a teammate: Pierre Gasly follows the suddenly departed Fernando Alonso at Alpine.
