Only Hamilton has done a better job as Alonso’s F1 teammate

The Frenchman seems to be set to guide the Alpine crew in 2023, following the departure of Alonso to Aston Martin.

However whereas Ocon is raved about by his crew, which has dedicated to him till the top of 2024, he’s conscious that these exterior the squad generally fail to recognise the job he’s doing.

For he reckons that having proven so strongly towards Alonso, which included his maiden win in Hungary final yr, solely Lewis Hamilton has performed higher than him as a teammate to the Spaniard.

Talking to Motorsport.com about his fame inside the paddock, Ocon stated: “I do not learn all the pieces that’s stated about me, however I hope that after I do one thing good, it’s reported as such, and that others can get an thought.

“However it’s true that there are some individuals who say to me ‘ah, I did not discover your qualifying at Spa’, or ‘I forgot you gained final yr’. I admit that I discover it a bit unusual.

“Ultimately in qualifying, in contrast with Fernando, it’s 9/7 to him, however I’ve a number of extra factors within the standings (Ocon has 66 in comparison with Alonso’s 59). Final yr, if we speak about qualifying, we completed the season in a draw: 11 to 11.

“If I take a look at Fernando’s profession, the one teammate at his stage was Lewis. Everybody else has not performed higher than me.

“Personally I really feel that I’m doing a very good job, sure. So it’s a bit unusual at occasions to see that on the skin there are those that understand in a barely totally different manner.”

Esteban Ocon, Alpine F1 Workforce, Fernando Alonso, Alpine F1 Workforce,

Picture by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images

Ocon says he now smiles when he remembers the variety of occasions he was informed that his F1 profession can be killed off going up towards Alonso – which makes him particularly proud that he has come out of their time collectively wanting so good.

Requested in regards to the doomsday predictions, Ocon stated: “Yeah, I heard it too, however I am nonetheless right here, proper?

“It’s a good comparability from the place we began final yr, each in qualifying and within the races. Fernando could be very, very quick. I do not assume he has something to show to anybody. To those that say if I’ve realized from Fernando, I reply ‘actually’. However I hope that he too might have realized one thing from me.”

Whereas Ocon is blissful along with his profession development in F1, and excited in regards to the subsequent two years at Alpine, he is aware of that he can not afford to take a seat again and consider his place on the grid is assured.

He cites the instance of Daniel Ricciardo, who might be dealing with a yr on the sidelines in 2023 on the again of two troublesome seasons at McLaren.

“I perceive that there’s nothing assured in Components 1,” he stated. “Even when you’ve got gained a race, even when you’ve got stood as much as a double world champion like Fernando, you aren’t certain of getting a assured future.

“We’ve the instance of Daniel. Two years in the past, he was within the top-driver group and as we speak he would not have the assure of a seat for subsequent season. You will need to at all times be on the prime, and you’ll want to by no means quit.”