Esteban Ocon and Max Verstappen have a well-documented history of clashes in the world of Formula 1. They have encountered numerous on-track and off-track conflicts throughout the years. Recently, Ocon has taken the opportunity to reflect on his rivalry with Verstappen.
Their rivalry dates back to their time in karting. In 2014, Ocon and Verstappen competed against each other in the 2014 F3 European Championship, with Ocon emerging as the victor. Ocon recalls that their rivalry during that period was particularly intense.
While Ocon was able to secure the championship in 2014, it was Verstappen who made his way into Formula 1 first. Verstappen joined Red Bull’s junior team, Toro Rosso, in 2015 and was subsequently promoted the following year. Ocon, on the other hand, made his debut in 2016 with Manor Racing.
Although Ocon has fond memories of his karting days with Verstappen, he currently faces pressing challenges during the ongoing season. Alpine’s A524 car is currently considered the weakest on the 2024 F1 grid. Despite this, Ocon has managed to qualify for Q2 on a few occasions, leading Alpine boss Bruno Famin to introduce an upgrade for Ocon’s car at the Chinese GP.
Both Ocon and Verstappen’s contracts with the Enstone-based team will expire at the end of this year. As a result, they are actively involved in the driver market, with Ocon being touted as a potential candidate for Mercedes in the 2025 season due to his consistent performance this year.