A crazy end of the session in Belgium: reactions from the top 3
Regulars in the top 3, Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel spoke about their performance on the track but also about the third-place finisher of the day, Esteban Ocon.
More than ever, Force India has been at the heart of discussions throughout the weekend. From its rescue during the summer to its name change this Thursday, the Pink Panthers have fueled the Belgian chronicles. But this Saturday, it is their on-track performance that is making headlines, which can only bring them a huge dose of satisfaction and relief after difficult times.
Esteban Ocon could only be pleased to have seized the opportunity that presented itself when the rain decided to fall just at the start of Q3. Yet he had already made a big gamble by staying on slicks for a full lap: « We know that in these conditions, there are opportunities to be taken because the cars are closer to each other. We managed to extract the maximum potential from our car. » It’s the second time he’s started in 3rd position, having achieved the same performance last year in Monza, in similar conditions.
His performance is all the more remarkable as Lewis Hamilton is the first to say how tricky the conditions were: « It was one of the hardest sessions we’ve had for a while. » Even he got caught out on his penultimate lap, going wide. « You have to find the balance between going fast and not going too fast and going off. » This balancing act is even more complicated as grip conditions were different from one corner to another.
But when asked about the performance of Esteban Ocon, a Mercedes protégé, he reminded that he has long been a supporter of the French driver, one of the best on the grid. He therefore believes that the place for number 31 is clearly on the grid: It’s exceptional the way he behaves off the track and the way he responds on it. The conclusion is thus clear: The best drivers must be in the car. This can only give a morale boost to a driver more than ever on the hot seat, who is not even assured to be present next week in Monza.
Regarding Sebastian Vettel, he lamented seeing a pole position that seemed within reach after well-controlled practice sessions slip away: “We knew the last lap was the most important. So we had to stay on the track.” Unfortunately for him, poor energy management prevented him from fully exploiting the potential of his car, and he had to settle for second position: “It was really fun, but in the end, we are not rewarded much.”
From our special correspondent in Spa-Francorchamps
