Want to race a season alongside fifteen-year-olds in British F4? For years, the Ocon army of three lived in those close quarters, racking up gargantuan fuel bills on drives across the continent to different races. The rest of the family thought his parents were insane. When race day came, Ocon could not afford to crumble.
As they say, a diamond was formed under the pressure. Suddenly the financial burden on his family was somewhat eased. For the first time in his life, Ocon had a wider team around him, and this paid dividends. As they say, diamond was formed under the pressure. Out of a crowded field featuring future F1 drivers Max Verstappen, Antonio Giovinazzi, and Nicholas Latifi, Ocon stormed to the F3 European Championship, finishing 58 points ahead of his nearest competitor.
While nobody would deny that F1 drivers are extremely talented, the system is nowhere near as meritocratic as it could be. Ocon, the reigning F3 champion, was facing the prospect of having to leave the sport altogether.
In the winter of and , Ocon saw his dreams slip away. He even began working as a mechanic with his father, but, ever the optimist, he made a call to one of the most influential men any teenager could have in their contact book: Toto Wolff, who he had met at Hockenheim in The German remembered him. A few weeks later, Wolff found him a drive in GP3. Since the heady days of coming 23 rd in the Championship in an uncompetitive Manor Racing car, Ocon has served his time as a mid-table competitor, scoring points consistently but only tasting the sweet podium champagne or sparkling wine, as it is this season on two occasions.
Indeed, a few weeks ago, pundits suggested that his new contract with Alpine might have been undeserved after Ocon subsequently went four races without scoring a point and was well off the pace in qualifying. Rain before the race and during the first lap sparked mayhem.
