Esteban Ocon and Max Verstappen have a well-documented history of conflicts in the world of Formula 1. They have faced numerous conflicts on and off the track over the years. Recently, Ocon had the opportunity to reflect on his rivalry with Verstappen.
Their rivalry dates back to their time competing in karting. In 2014, Ocon and Verstappen competed against each other in the 2014 European F3 Championship, with Ocon emerging as the winner. Ocon recalls that their rivalry during that period was particularly intense.
Although Ocon managed to secure the championship in 2014, it was Verstappen who made it to Formula 1 first. Verstappen joined the Red Bull junior team, Toro Rosso, in 2015 and was promoted the following year. Ocon, on the other hand, made his debut in 2016 with Manor Racing.
While Ocon has fond memories of his karting days with Verstappen, he faces pressing challenges during the current season. The Alpine A524 car is currently considered the weakest on the 2024 F1 grid. Despite this, Ocon has managed to qualify for Q2 on some occasions, leading Alpine boss Bruno Famin to introduce an update to Ocon’s car at the Chinese GP.
Ocon and Verstappen’s contracts with the Enstone-based team will expire at the end of this year. As a result, they are actively involved in the driver market, with Ocon being touted as a potential candidate for Mercedes in the 2025 season due to his consistent performance this year.
