198 replies to this topic

[Maustinsj]

https://www.skysport...ormula-1-season

Leaving at the end of the season.

Edited by Maustinsj, 03 June 2024 - 12:52.

[CSF]

From a cannon?

[flyboym3]

He hasn't been fired, his contract runs out end of this season.

Silly decision, Ocon is pretty good I reckon, right up there with the likes of Norris and Russell.

[PayasYouRace]

Ocon has crashed into more teammates than he’s beaten in the WDC over a season. I’d imagine most teams would like him in their main rival’s car over their own.

[pup]

He hasn't been fired, his contract runs out end of this season.

Silly decision, Ocon is pretty good I reckon, right up there with the likes of Norris and Russell.

Your reckoner need tuning.

[P123]

I wonder what great prospect Alpeeen have lined up?  Ocon and Gasly are interchangeable, although Ocon has looked the more impressive this season so far.

[NCB619]

I wonder what great prospect Alpeeen have lined up?  Ocon and Gasly are interchangeable, although Ocon has looked the more impressive this season so far.

You'd think, if they're going to bring one of their own up, it's between Martins and Doohan.

[PayasYouRace]

Thanks for the report about the title. Changed to something more accurate.

[Spillage]

So Famin sacks his team principal and apponts himself, then fires a load of technical staff after round one of the season and then fores his driver over a single mistake at Monaco. I don't think he knows what he's doing.

[Nobody]

And we thought he had his elbows out before... Watch now

[messy]

Your reckoner need tuning.

I don't think it's that far off. Ocon makes me quite angry tbh. He's a very, very good driver operating at a consistent level with lots of good qualities - if he wasn't such a difficult character and had the same kind of attitude as those other guys, he'd be a very good option for anybody. But he's a bit of a dick and treats his team-mates as his #1 enemy. I wish he'd learn.

[ensign14]

O-gone.

[Secretariat]

He has talent. I think Ocon's problem was/is he takes the saying: "your teammate is your first rival" too literally. He isn't wrong. He and/or his teams have failed in understanding/explaining the nuance. There is still a little time to salvage the reputation, but it has to start now.

[kosmos]

Good driver, awful attitude. I'm sure he will find a ride outside F1 though.

[ensign14]

Could team up with Grosjean in Indycar.

[DW46]

Off to Sauber with Hulk would be my guess.

[Yoshi]

So Famin sacks his team principal and apponts himself, then fires a load of technical staff after round one of the season and then fores his driver over a single mistake at Monaco. I don't think he knows what he's doing.

There were some reports that it has already been decided before Monaco.

Kosmos is right - good driver with awful attitude.

Edited by Yoshi, 03 June 2024 - 13:34.

[Claudius]

And we thought he had his elbows out before... Watch now

 

That's what I'm thinking as well. How will he behave against Gasly now that he has no need to restrain himself.

[Clrnc]

He is a decent driver, but his attitude means he is not worth it. In terms of all the mid tier drivers in F1, I will take Tsunoda, Gasly, Hulk, Albon all over him. 

 

Doohan or Martins time

Edited by Clrnc, 03 June 2024 - 13:49.

[Stoffel]

Shame for Alpine. Ocon is a great driver, is French and won a race for them.
 

As someone who was there when he, Gasly, Leclerc, Hubert, etc. were karting it’s much more understandable why he is the character that he is.

In contrast to the other guys, Ocon’s family didn’t have any money. They were always up against it, even lived in an RV because they sold their house to fund Esteban’s career. That just clashed constantly with the other guys. Beating them but struggling to find the funding to continue.

 

Same thing happened later on in F3 where he won the title but Verstappen got an F1 drive and Esteban was without a drive and without money.

 

That just does something to you.

Edited by Stoffel, 03 June 2024 - 13:49.

[InSearchOfThe]

I'd think he'd be on his best behavior after Fermin's threats.
Any team interested in signing him should be prepared for his eventual disruptions.
The big teams, Merc Audi, should avoid him like the plague. That leaves Haas, which doesn't need another head case. Imo, his talent doesn't outweigh his weaknesses.

[Deeq]

Occon is a "white Elephant".. perfect gift for your worst rival.

[SenorSjon]

Could team up with Grosjean in Indycar.

 

Think of the children!

[kumo7]

Ocon needs a wake-up call, I mean to say with sympathetic intention. 

[Myrvold]

So Famin sacks his team principal and apponts himself, then fires a load of technical staff after round one of the season and then fores his driver over a single mistake at Monaco. I don't think he knows what he's doing.

 

It is a bit late 80's, early 90's "team that lasted 1-4 seasons" vibe indeed.

[thefinalapex]

Could team up with Grosjean in Indycar.

Or team up with Ferrucci and Grosjean and try to tackle Le mans.

[southernstars]

You'd think, if they're going to bring one of their own up, it's between Martins and Doohan.

 

And if it's between Martins and Doohan, it'd have to be Doohan. He's better prepared and Martins is making an absolute balls-up of his second F2 year.

 

Famin has been speaking very nicely of Schumacher, though. Eh, why not go all in. I'll sit here nice and delulu and hope we get the ultimate team-up - Schumacher/Doohan lineup.

[RainyAfterlifeDaylight]

He has the speed to be in Formula1 but I hope he learns from his mistakes . . .

[Benchulo]

Ocon is a top 10 driver on the current grid, IMO. Esteban has also shown that he can race hard but fair numerous times. F1 needs different characters. Hope he finds a seat.

[MaxisOne]

Shame for Alpine. Ocon is a great driver, is French and won a race for them.
 

As someone who was there when he, Gasly, Leclerc, Hubert, etc. were karting it’s much more understandable why he is the character that he is.

In contrast to the other guys, Ocon’s family didn’t have any money. They were always up against it, even lived in an RV because they sold their house to fund Esteban’s career. That just clashed constantly with the other guys. Beating them but struggling to find the funding to continue.

 

Same thing happened later on in F3 where he won the title but Verstappen got an F1 drive and Esteban was without a drive and without money.

 

That just does something to you.

Sorry i cant empathize. No matter the difficulties you have growing up my parents made sure there was mutual respect and some level of humility. I'm not saying not to fight for whats yours or be a doormat for your teamate but there is a right way and a wrong way to do it. He crossed that fine line one too many times.

 

I hope he now races hard .. but fair going forward. and i also hope Alpine made it very clear that whomever among the teammates causes another crash this season is getting benched for the next race unless there are mitigating circumstances.

Edited by MaxisOne, 03 June 2024 - 15:06.

[lewislorenzo]

Hopefully Merc sign him for one year

[aportinga]

https://www.skysport...ormula-1-season

Leaving at the end of the season.

 

Good - now all we need is Ricciardo, Gasley, Bottas replaced.

 

I heard that Josef Newgarden said that all the Indycar guys could rock it in F1. Lets pick a few of those drivers and see what happens.

 

Edited by aportinga, 03 June 2024 - 15:10.

[MaxisOne]

Hopefully Merc sign him for one year

Nah i would not like to see him at Merc. but we will see.

[Ali623]

This incident with Gasly in Monaco was literally the first clash between them that he 'instigated'. His previous altercations with Perez and Alonso were as much on the them as they were on Ocon. If you have very similar performance to your teammate, you're naturally going to be near them on track continuously and therefore end up in battles with them. For some reason (I know the reason) Ocon is singled out for this far more than any other driver.

 

Hopefully he stays on the grid because he's one of the better drivers currently on it, and has better racecraft, particularly defensive driving skills, than the vast majority on the grid - which is just more enjoyable to watch.

[IrvTheSwerve]

I've always rated Ocon. He's at the very least a competent points scorer and has the ability to finish on the podium regularly with the right car. He certainly deserves a seat in F1.

 

He's a proper Jekyll and Hyde character in and out of the car though, isn't he? Comes across as a really nice guy outside of the car and a bit of a knob when in the car - and not just in a 'ruthless winner' way. I've always rooted for him a bit due to his less privileged background compared to some drivers.

 

An Ocon/Hulk line-up for SauberAudi would be a very solid one, IMO. Potential for a stop-gap at Mercedes, but I'm not sure they will want KA to spend another year in F2 unless they have to...

[Autodromo]

Ocon needs a wake-up call, I mean to say with sympathetic intention. 

I would have thought that 2019 served that purpose.

[IrvTheSwerve]

O-gone.

 

Oc on

Oc off

 

[NoForumForOldPole]

You know what would spice things up? If Ocon joined Red Bull That would be simply lovely.

[AlexPrime]

Good riddance, he is a serpent 

[MissingApex]

Same thing happened later on in F3 where he won the title but Verstappen got an F1 drive and Esteban was without a drive and without money.

He did sign a contract with Gravity management which was linked with the Mercedes young driver program and got a drive in GP3, if I remember correctly?

He always had contracts with top teams, contrary to f.e. Leclerc and Verstappen pre F1, also after his F3 title. That doesn’t sound like a driver who was consistently broke.

Edited by MissingApex, 03 June 2024 - 15:43.

[Stoffel]

He did sign a contract with Gravity management which was linked with the Mercedes young driver program and got a drive in GP3, if I remember correctly?
 

Gravity was Lotus/Eric Boullier not Mercedes and they probably didn’t have much if any more money than Ocon himself.
After that debacle he got picked up by Wolff and Mercedes though.

[Risil]

Ocon is talented and knows how to win, he will be an asset wherever he goes.

[Risil]

Potential for a stop-gap at Mercedes

Sideways move

[kumo7]

I would have thought that 2019 served that purpose.

If I were a team boss, I will never give him a drive..
not because he is a less skilled driver, but because of his priorities.
There were drivers with a similar self awareness, but Esteban is an extreme case. I thought his win at Hungaroring could gave him a new horizon, also after he had a year off after the crash on Jose Carlos Pace. And then this. Haas is going to take him I hear, hope Ayako Komatsu has got a good grip on his management strategy.

Edited by kumo7, 03 June 2024 - 16:12.

[MikeTekRacing]

He did sign a contract with Gravity management which was linked with the Mercedes young driver program and got a drive in GP3, if I remember correctly?

He always had contracts with top teams, contrary to f.e. Leclerc and Verstappen pre F1, also after his F3 title. That doesn’t sound like a driver who was consistently broke.

Having contacts is different than having a drive.

I am not excusing his track behaviour. But he indeed had to work a bit more than others for his chances. 

[kumo7]

Shame for Alpine. Ocon is a great driver, is French and won a race for them.

As someone who was there when he, Gasly, Leclerc, Hubert, etc. were karting it’s much more understandable why he is the character that he is.
In contrast to the other guys, Ocon’s family didn’t have any money. They were always up against it, even lived in an RV because they sold their house to fund Esteban’s career. That just clashed constantly with the other guys. Beating them but struggling to find the funding to continue.

Same thing happened later on in F3 where he won the title but Verstappen got an F1 drive and Esteban was without a drive and without money.

That just does something to you.

Ocon is in his F1 car for some seasons.

Edited by kumo7, 03 June 2024 - 16:10.

[Anderis]

For some reason (I know the reason) Ocon is singled out for this far more than any other driver.

Why won't you tell us?

 

I too feel like Ocon's clashes with his team mates are blown out of proportion. He's been in F1 for 8 seasons and has had how many collisions with his team mates where he was clearly at fault? Was it more than 3 or 4? I don't think so. Well, apparently the decision not to re-sign him was taken before Monaco anyway. Unless Alpine can get Sainz, I will be surprised if his replacement turns out to be an upgrade. But we will see.
 

Edited by Anderis, 03 June 2024 - 17:31.

[MissingApex]

Having contacts is different than having a drive.
I am not excusing his track behaviour. But he indeed had to work a bit more than others for his chances.

He always had a drive, mostly for top teams (Prema, ART), certainly better teams than a lot of drivers in their junior careers.

[Viryfan]

He always had a drive, mostly for top teams (Prema, ART), certainly better teams than a lot of drivers in their junior careers.

And he made the most of those drives in junior series.

He earned those chances through hard work and talent.

If Ocon was to get without an F1 seat, i'm pretty sure that Vasseur would call him to drive one of 499P for Le Mans in a heartbeat.

Edited by Viryfan, 03 June 2024 - 16:28.

[MikeTekRacing]

He always had a drive, mostly for top teams (Prema, ART), certainly better teams than a lot of drivers in their junior careers.

I don't think that's true.  he was then replaced by Lance Stroll and couldn't find a drive for that year.