“If I work hard, my time will come” - Esteban Ocon confident of fighting F1 heavyweights Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton for titles

Esteban Ocon has completed five full seasons in Formula 1, starting from Force India and making his way up to Alpine. He finished 12th in the 2023 season, accumulating 58 points. With his contract with Alpine expiring at the end of 2024, now is the time for Ocon to step up to the plate.

Recording a total of three podiums, including one win during his career, the 27-year-old has been a consistent and reliable driver for his team. However, Ocon's full potential has not yet been realized, which he is keen to do.

Speaking about his time at Alpine and the rare chances they get to fight for the podium, Esteban Ocon said (via Racing News 365):

"I believe if I work hard and do well on the track then my time will come. One day I will have a car that I can compete in for championships and wins. I'm looking forward to that."

Max Verstappen's rise to the top has also been somewhat of a pain point for Esteban Ocon. Considering that Ocon became Formula 3 Champion beating Verstappen in 2014, it has sparked motivation for Ocon to do the same again.

"It is a pain, for sure. But I'm working still as if we are going for wins and podiums after every weekend. You have to re-adjust your target and my target is to get the best out of the car every race weekend," Ocon said.

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Esteban Ocon hopes to reignite rivalry with Max Verstappen, Charles Leclerc like early racing days

Along with Max Verstappen, Esteban Ocon also competed alongside Charles Leclerc, especially during their karting days. Ocon hopes that this rivalry will once again be ignited as he starts fighting for wins.

Speaking via Motorsportweek, Ocon said:

“I’ve been growing up with these guys who are leading all the time: Charles and Max. I know what I’m capable of. I never actually thought we would all make it to Formula 1 and that’s probably why we succeeded, because if you start to see yourself up there it’s not a good thing."

Ocon credited the strong rivalry and camaraderie that the drivers built up when they were young, which allowed them to get to the biggest stage in motorsports.