Esteban Ocon has identified Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen as the two most naturally talented Formula 1 drivers currently on the grid.
Despite Ocon’s less-than-stellar performance with Alpine, Verstappen continues to secure race victories, while Leclerc consistently finds himself on the podium. Ocon’s assertion that they are among the best is supported by their track record.
In a rare display of humility, Ocon, when questioned on the High Performance Podcast, openly acknowledged the exceptional abilities of his fellow drivers.
Despite his well-documented altercation with Verstappen during the 2018 Brazilian Grand Prix, Ocon couldn’t resist acknowledging the reigning World Champion’s talent.
“Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen. I’ve raced with them since… Charles is 2005, and Max, 2010,”He commented about the drivers possessing the greatest innate talent. “And it doesn’t matter what conditions we were in, you know, always neck and neck and in the top three always. So, them.”
Regarding the greatest driver of all time, that was a more frequently given response. “Michael Schumacher. Why? Because he was the more complete one.”
Although Ocon has achieved victory in races before, the prospect of him repeating that feat seems distant at the moment.
Alpine currently sits in 10th place in the standings and has recently undergone the loss of their technical chief. However, Ocon remains optimistic that they can reverse their fortunes.
“Obviously, it is a frustrating time as a driver, as an engineer, as a team boss, [for] everyone,” He stated prior to the race in Saudi Arabia..
“We don’t like the situation we’re in. We keep sticking together, all around the team and that’s the most important [thing].
“If the morale goes down, everyone is down after such difficult times [when] you are going downhill. That’s not the case.”
For the first time, there has been speculation that the French driver might be contemplating a departure from Alpine once his contract expires at the end of the season.
A potential switch to Mercedes, which currently has a vacant seat, cannot be ruled out, especially given his history with the team—an aspect he acknowledged during Alpine’s launch.
On Wednesday, during the unveiling of the team’s 2024 car, Ocon shared: “I obviously still have strong links with Mercedes, I’m still a Mercedes junior driver, that is no secret to anyone.
“But I’m totally dedicated to Alpine this year, I’ve got 24 races to get through and we’ll see where we end up.
“Formula 1 is fierce, a lot of things can happen, as we can see, but I’m ready to take on the challenge.”
