Esteban Ocon has shared his experience during the 2019 Formula 1 season, a period marked by his status as a reserve driver for Mercedes. With a career going against the current, Ocon had to face challenging moments, even though at that time he was experiencing a positive trend with his previous team, Force India.
In July 2018, Ocon, in full competition against his teammate Sergio Pérez, saw his hopes unexpectedly crumble. The combination of decisions within the Renault team and other complications led to a chaotic situation that relegated him to the sidelines. “It was difficult,” Ocon stated about his development process as a driver during that year.
Despite his standout performances, Mercedes chose to renew Valtteri Bottas’s contract, leaving Ocon without an active seat. The young French driver, who was in advanced talks with Renault and McLaren, finished the season without a real chance to compete on the track.
Ocon explained that he spent many hours working with the Mercedes team, doing technical developments on his own, while the other drivers had their opportunities to showcase their talent. “It was a tough year,” he added, acknowledging the frustration of having to limit himself to developing a winning car while he could not drive.
His long-awaited opportunity finally arrived when he was hired by Renault for the following season, a change that would culminate in his first grand prix win in Hungary. However, George Russell’s rise to Mercedes has kept Ocon away from a new opportunity with the team that once was his home.
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
