Ocon Deserves Better

Esteban Ocon is not the worst driver in Formula One. So why does he not have a seat for next year?

Ocon has shown himself to be one of the most promising prospects in the sport. But time is running out for the Frenchman. With almost all of the Formula One teams having confirmed their 2019 line-ups, it is likely that Ocon will be unable to take part in next season’s Championship.

Since his debut at the 2016 Belgian Grand Prix, the Force India driver has demonstrated his ability. The 22-year-old came eighth in the 2017 Drivers’ Championship and holds the record for the most consecutive finishes from the beginning of his career. It seems bizarre that he now faces redundancy after such a successful start.

Ocon’s situation has nothing to do with his driving. Force India’s high debts forced them into administration before the Hungarian Grand Prix. The team – and 405 jobs – were saved by a consortium led by billionaire Lawrence Stroll.

Stroll is no ordinary investor. His son drives for Williams.  Lance Stroll, who made his debut last year aged 18, has been driving for the British team for almost two years. Stroll is 17th in the Championship standings. The young Canadian’s time with Williams is coming to an end. It is likely that he will move to the team partially owned by his father.

Stroll’s move to Force India will leave either Sergio Perez or Ocon without a drive next year. But with Perez being a much more experienced driver, having picked up a podium this year in Azerbaijan, it is apparent that the Frenchman will be relegated.

However Stroll’s move will not necessarily be easy. Force India has not had the best record of teammate relationships. Perez and Ocon have duelled repeatedly over the past two years, coming to blows several times. Last season they had a collision in Baku and Perez went on to squeeze Ocon into the wall in Belgium. After one car’s front wing was damaged and the other suffered a puncture, team principle Otmar Szafnauer was left with no choice other than to ban the two drivers from racing each other. Incidents still occur though, most recently in Singapore. An attempted overtake from Ocon once again ended with Perez pushing his teammate into the barriers. Their rocky relationship does not bode well for Stroll. The Mexican driver has made it blatantly clear that he will race any teammate – regardless of his $2.7 billionaire father.

For Ocon the future looks bleak. His journey into Formula One has not been easy. Selling their home to help fund the racer, Ocon’s parents had to live in a caravan parked outside his school. His parents have sacrificed so much to get him to the Championship and Ocon has done everything to make the most of the opportunity.

Despite this awkward situation, both Ocon and Lance Stroll have managed to remain firm friends. The Canadian has received much criticism on social media due to his father’s new connection to Force India. However, Ocon retaliated saying that the hate was “not normal”. He went on to say “of course we come from a different background, but inside, we have the same motivation, and we have the same passion for the sport… I think it’s better to show your support more than hate”. Such generosity says much about Ocon’s personality. This, coupled with his racing talent, would make him a great asset to any team.

Whether he makes it through to next year or not, Ocon’s time in Formula One is surely far from over.