Esteban Ocon faced challenges in his racing career while Max Verstappen secured a spot with Toro Rosso in the 2015 F1 season. Verstappen and Ocon have been fierce competitors since their karting days, competing against each other in various championships, including the 2014 Formula 3 European Championship. However, it was Verstappen who was chosen to join Formula 1 with Toro Rosso, while Ocon struggled to continue his racing journey.
In the 2014 Formula 3 European Championship, Verstappen emerged as the winner, while Ocon finished in third place. Unfortunately, Ocon did not receive any opportunities like his future F1 champion rival. Additionally, the Lotus F1 driver academy, which supported Ocon, was on the brink of closure, putting his entire career at risk.
During that period, Ocon constantly reached out to the Mercedes boss in hopes of securing a racing opportunity. Having won the F3 Euro title with a Mercedes engine, the French driver was eager to continue pursuing his racing dream. Ocon expressed his frustration during the transition from 2014 to 2015, stating that the circumstances were unfair compared to Max Verstappen’s debut in F1 at the age of 17.
With the help of Toto Wolff and his team, Ocon managed to secure a budget to participate in the GP3 series in 2015. He went on to win the championship that year, earning the support of the Mercedes driver academy. This ultimately led to Ocon making his F1 debut in the middle of the 2016 season with the Manor F1 team. During the 2018 Brazilian GP, Ocon had a collision with Verstappen while trying to unlap himself.
Ocon admitted that while he wasn’t completely frustrated about not being signed by an F1 team for the 2015 season, he was concerned about his own survival in the world of motorsport due to a lack of funding. He credited Toto Wolff for saving his F1 career in the past. Despite moving to Alpine, Ocon continues to be managed by Mercedes, and he has become a prominent midfield contender in the F1 field. Verstappen, on the other hand, has become an F1 world champion and established himself as one of the greatest drivers in history.