Esteban Ocon will be present at the Canadian Grand Prix
Esteban Ocon's presence at the Canadian Grand Prix was not confirmed due to the accident he caused with his teammate in Monaco, but he will indeed be in Montreal this weekend, he announced in a post on social media. The French driver wanted to defend himself against those who criticized his behavior during the race.
Esteban Ocon attempted a bold overtake on Pierre Gasly, who was in ninth place, on the first lap of the Monaco race, diving on the inside at the Portier turn, which turned out to be too optimistic. The two Alpine cars collided and Ocon had to retire after being launched into the air.
Gasly criticized his teammate for not respecting the team orders, explaining that the car behind was supposed to provide assistance throughout the race. The team director, Bruno Famin, escalated the situation by stating his intention to “cut to the quick” regarding Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon. This comment fueled online rumors, with some media speculating that Ocon would be sidelined for the Canadian Grand Prix.
Alpine was considering various options, Ocon expressed himself on social networks to reaffirm that he would participate in the Montreal race and to defend himself against waves of criticism.
« Many things have been said following the Monaco Grand Prix, wrote the Frenchman. « Although I have received many messages of support, I have been deeply saddened by the amount of abuse and negativity I have received online regarding my character, my conduct, and my career. The ill-informed statements and gross distortions I have seen online in recent days about my ability to work in a team have been inaccurate, hurtful, and damaging. Since my early laps in motorsport, I have approached this sport with humility, professionalism, and respect. These values have been instilled in me from a young age. »
In a context where his reputation in the paddock is that of a driver lacking team spirit, the one who will leave Alpine at the end of the season, praised his former and current teammates Daniel Ricciardo, Sergio Perez, Fernando Alonso and Pierre Gasly, before admitting: « As teammates, we often started races very close to each other, which sometimes meant tough battles on the track and sometimes contacts. Of course, I made mistakes. We are not robots, we are athletes who push ourselves to the limit every day to achieve our dreams of winning races. »
French took the opportunity to reaffirm its respect for Gasly as a teammate and as a competitor regarding their rivalry. We have always worked collaboratively and professionally within the team, and this will continue to be the case, stated Ocon.
