A dual-paddle clutch system on the steering wheel: that’s the belated ‘Christmas gift’ that Esteban Ocon received from his new team. Since his debut in Formula 1, he has been accustomed to nothing else, but his move to Haas required the Frenchman to adapt, and he struggled significantly with this.
Esteban Ocon made his Formula 1 debut at the Belgian Grand Prix in 2016 with Manor Racing, where he replaced Rio Haryanto for the rest of the season. At all the teams he subsequently drove for – Force India, Racing Point, Renault, and Alpine – he used a dual-paddle clutch system on the steering wheel. However, with his move to Haas, he had to get used to a system with only one paddle, a change that required considerable adjustment.
Although the Frenchman tried to adapt as best he could, he did not find it ‘safe’ to continue driving this way. Haas quickly stepped in and offered him the other clutch system. During the winter test at the Bahrain International Circuit, Ocon was already able to test with it. “I worked in that way and I tried it the other way around, but I was having a hard time and the team managed to give me a late Christmas gift, I would say, which has been good. These are things that normally take a lot of time,” Ocon said during the press conference on Wednesday.
Bearman Happy with ‘Problematic’ System
Ocon is impressed with how quickly Haas implemented the changes. “There are also many technical adjustments that we have been able to place in the same spots as the steering wheel that I have been using for almost ten years,” he added.
The dual-paddle clutch system on the steering wheel is working well so far, and Ocon indicates that it suits him better than the previous ‘problematic’ system. “First of all, when you leave the garage and you only have a right paddle, how do you do that,” he wonders aloud.
His new teammate, Oliver Bearman, reveals that he continues to use the single-paddle system. “It’s my own special clutch that I worked hard on with the guys over the winter. So far, my starts have been good, so I’m happy with that,” he says.
