Ocon reveals: “Verstappen's driving has always been dangerous, even in the past”

Two years ago, in 2014, Esteban Ocon won the European F3 championship. At the time, on the slopes, the Frenchman challenged himself with a certain Max Verstappen: the two, in fact, were protagonists of a memorable championship. Not memorable, however, were the duels between the two pilots: Ocon remembers Max's overtaking as "dangerous, at the limit, aggressive". In short, Verstappen's driving, recognized by many and judged as excessive, has very deep origins in the past.

Ocon and Verstappen are challenge yourself many times during their career, starting from karting up to today's Formula 1: “We have also fought hard in the past, like in F3”, Ocon told Dutch newspaper Formule 1. “The battle was heavy and very intense,” has continued. “Usually I was faster in qualifying, he was faster in the race.”

But were they good battles? Compelling? “No, they weren't at all!”, commented Ocon. “It was often dangerous. But we never clashed, it was a tough but fair fight."

Ocon said Verstappen is "much more aggressive" than him: “I mean, I'm aggressive when I really need to be, not all the time. And that's the big difference between me and Max." he continued further.

And how was the climate on the track? “There wasn't a good atmosphere in the race, but outside there was. But I think that between then and now we have become more mature.", concluded Ocon.

Fabiola Granier