Esteban Ocon is the driver of the day in Monaco
F1. Author of a superb third place in Monaco, Esteban Ocon has been elected driver of the day.
It was a well-managed weekend for Esteban Ocon. Consistently in the Top 10 in all practice sessions, the Frenchman confirmed his good form by placing his Alpine in fourth position at the end of qualifying. With Charles Leclerc blocking Lando Norris in Q3, the Monegasque was penalized with a 3-place grid penalty, allowing the Norman driver to start in third position.
Starting on medium tires, Ocon made a perfect start from his grid to keep Carlos Sainz behind him. Despite Ferrari's persistent assaults during the first stint, the Alpine driver did not back down in the early part of the race. And this, despite a collision that could have cost Ocon dearly. The Ferrari driver launched a daring attack from far away approaching the chicane. An audacious overtaking attempt that resulted in contact between the Spaniard's front wing and the rear end of the blue car.
In the rain, Esteban Ocon didn't drown and managed to keep Lewis Hamilton's Mercedes behind him. It's this ability to keep faster drivers behind him in a faster car that made the Frenchman's race remarkable and gives a special flavor to this podium.
Formula 1 fans seem to have particularly enjoyed Esteban Ocon's performance. They have voted him as the driver of the day with 23.5%. He is 0.9 points ahead of Alonso and 7 points ahead of Verstappen in the poll.
