Esteban Ocon's future drives

[Edax]

Hi. I think it's not fair to look at Ocon vs Verstappen in F3. Verstappen was a rookie even skipping R2.0.

Yeah so I guess Max won the rookies championship that year....

Oh wait Ocon did as Ocon was a rookie that year too.

I think he meant that VES had no open wheel experience, which is true since VES came straight out of KZ, via the winter championship. whereas Ocon had been driving R2.0 for two years.

Besides Ocon was driving a PREMA car and Verstappen was driving with Van Amersvoort racing. There is quite a difference in these outfits, in terms of budgets, resources and support.

Prema has won all the F3 championships but one in recent years. They even managed to make Stroll champion.

So to come out fresh from carts and to challenge the top teams with a 2nd tier outfit is a noteworthy achievement. It may not have won him a rookie cup, but I guess the F1 seat was a reasonable consolidation price.

[Bandit1216]

Hi. I think it's not fair to look at Ocon vs Verstappen in F3. Verstappen was a rookie even skipping R2.0.

Yeah so I guess Max won the rookies championship that year....

Oh wait Ocon did as Ocon was a rookie that year too.

I think he meant that VES had no open wheel experience, which is true since VES came straight out of KZ, via the winter championship. whereas Ocon had been driving R2.0 for two years.

Besides Ocon was driving a PREMA car and Verstappen was driving with Van Amersvoort racing. There is quite a difference in these outfits, in terms of budgets, resources and support.

Prema has won all the F3 championships but one in recent years. They even managed to make Stroll champion.

So to come out fresh from carts and to challenge the top teams with a 2nd tier outfit is a noteworthy achievement. It may not have won him a rookie cup, but I guess the F1 seat was a reasonable consolidation price.

Yes, I meant that yes. And I agree Ocon is deffinatelly better than 70% of the current Drivers in F1. No Need to bash as we actually agree.

Bottas is from my list ever since Monza 2018. When you can't overtake a car 10 kph slower on Monza... Well finally he did, but not after getting parabolica wrong 10 times before that. Put Ocon in that Merc! but that's my opinion. Notting more.

[trinidefender]

Almost certain that Ocon will get a seat somewhere next season.

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/sill ... n/4488438/

[epo]

To be fair he never really overclassed Perez. Wouldn't be surprised to him next to Russell, as Russell makes a great impression and has less ego then Ocon. Ocon and Hamilton would not be a great team, they rather keep Bottas as the second driver to keep Hamilton happy and a year later replace him with whoever wins the battle at Williams.
Anyways he probably goes to Renault and get owned by Ricciardo.

[roon]

[trinidefender]

It was reported by Matthew Carter (ex Lotus boss for 2 years) that most likely Ocon will replace VB at Mercedes next year. This was said on air on the Missed Apex F1 podcast.

[Pyrone89]

It was reported by Matthew Carter (ex Lotus boss for 2 years) that most likely Ocon will replace VB at Mercedes next year. This was said on air on the Missed Apex F1 podcast.

Please no, the kid has serious issues with a large number of F1 drivers for being an absolute pr#ck in junior categories and in F1. And now he is to get the best car in the house as a reward. I also don’t see how this would fit with the said ‘obedient nr.2 driver’ policy as although he is clearly not in the Hamilton/Verstappen league or the Vettel/Leclerc/Ricciardo league and can thus be seen as a nr 2 just like Bottas, he has been a nightmare for the Force India team management.

Or as Lando Norris said in his Twitch stream of Goodwood: please Oc-off

[Manoah2u]

There is NO WAY Mercedes would pick Ocon over Verstappen if they'd replace Bottas.
And there is no reason for them to replace Bottas.

Remember how sure people were that 'diva' Pascal Wehrlein would get a Mercedes seat?
yeah, that didn't happen at all, and he never got a seat in F1. Ocon will be similar.

[wunderkind]

There is NO WAY Mercedes would pick Ocon over Verstappen if they'd replace Bottas.
And there is no reason for them to replace Bottas.

Remember how sure people were that 'diva' Pascal Wehrlein would get a Mercedes seat?
yeah, that didn't happen at all, and he never got a seat in F1. Ocon will be similar.

But Mercedes needs to plan for life after/without Hamilton and Ocon is a better long term prospect than Bottas. If Hamilton does retire or goes to Ferrari next season, I'd be on the phone to Fernando Alonso quick smart if I were Toto, and give the second seat to Ocon.

[epo]

There is NO WAY Mercedes would pick Ocon over Verstappen if they'd replace Bottas.
And there is no reason for them to replace Bottas.

Remember how sure people were that 'diva' Pascal Wehrlein would get a Mercedes seat?
yeah, that didn't happen at all, and he never got a seat in F1. Ocon will be similar.

But Mercedes needs to plan for life after/without Hamilton and Ocon is a better long term prospect than Bottas. If Hamilton does retire or goes to Ferrari next season, I'd be on the phone to Fernando Alonso quick smart if I were Toto, and give the second seat to Ocon.

People really need to stop talking about Alonso, no top 3 team wants him, not now , not tomorrow not ever.
Main reason, he's too political involved, or at least he wants to which he can't. RIP Alonso, he was a great driver.

[Manoah2u]

Two fresh people in the mothership team is asking for problems.

I agree Alonso is always interesting, but if we're talking about future, then no, Alonso is a short-term interest,
and i genuinly doubt whether he'd be a better choice than Verstappen for starters.
They won't let Bottas go that easy, and i don't think Bottas wants to go that easy.

I do believe there is a lingering chance for Hamilton to go to Ferrari.
In such a case, Hamilton needs to be replaced, indeed, but Ocon has already been out for a season by 2020 and
i don't think that does much good. Ocon is also quite a handfull imho.

Again, Verstappen would be a much better bet, for a variety of things:
He's a guaranteed WDC competitor with hunger and has matured significantly.
By attracting Verstappen, they seriously, but seriously weaken RedBull. Gasly is far below Max/Ham/Bot's level and Albon is still a rookie, and they're building around Max, nobody else.
LeClerc-Hamilton would be strong, so Mercedes needs the best combination to beat that. Ocon-Bottas imho is weaker than Verstappen-Bottas.
Including Alonso-Ocon. that is a recipy for disaster.

[wunderkind]

There is NO WAY Mercedes would pick Ocon over Verstappen if they'd replace Bottas.
And there is no reason for them to replace Bottas.

Remember how sure people were that 'diva' Pascal Wehrlein would get a Mercedes seat?
yeah, that didn't happen at all, and he never got a seat in F1. Ocon will be similar.

But Mercedes needs to plan for life after/without Hamilton and Ocon is a better long term prospect than Bottas. If Hamilton does retire or goes to Ferrari next season, I'd be on the phone to Fernando Alonso quick smart if I were Toto, and give the second seat to Ocon.

People really need to stop talking about Alonso, no top 3 team wants him, not now , not tomorrow not ever.
Main reason, he's too political involved, or at least he wants to which he can't. RIP Alonso, he was a great driver.

Alonso will be fine as a replacement for Hamilton at Mercedes. He knows he cannot blame Mercedes if he doesn't win, pure and simple. Also, name me a driver on Hamilton's level who is available for 2020 or 2021. Red Bull will fight hard to keep Verstappen and Vettel is done (too error-prone). Danny Ric and Hulkenberg are not on the same level of performance.

[epo]

But Mercedes needs to plan for life after/without Hamilton and Ocon is a better long term prospect than Bottas. If Hamilton does retire or goes to Ferrari next season, I'd be on the phone to Fernando Alonso quick smart if I were Toto, and give the second seat to Ocon.

People really need to stop talking about Alonso, no top 3 team wants him, not now , not tomorrow not ever.
Main reason, he's too political involved, or at least he wants to which he can't. RIP Alonso, he was a great driver.

Alonso will be fine as a replacement for Hamilton at Mercedes. He knows he cannot blame Mercedes if he doesn't win, pure and simple. Also, name me a driver on Hamilton's level who is available for 2020 or 2021. Red Bull will fight hard to keep Verstappen and Vettel is done (too error-prone). Danny Ric and Hulkenberg are not on the same level of performance.

Hamilton isn't leaving, so they don't need replacement. He only perhaps could go if Ferrari had a better car which is not the case, Hamilton will stay on to break Schumachers his records and best place to do is Mercedes.

[wunderkind]

Two fresh people in the mothership team is asking for problems.

I agree Alonso is always interesting, but if we're talking about future, then no, Alonso is a short-term interest,
and i genuinly doubt whether he'd be a better choice than Verstappen for starters.
They won't let Bottas go that easy, and i don't think Bottas wants to go that easy.

I do believe there is a lingering chance for Hamilton to go to Ferrari.
In such a case, Hamilton needs to be replaced, indeed, but Ocon has already been out for a season by 2020 and
i don't think that does much good. Ocon is also quite a handfull imho.

Again, Verstappen would be a much better bet, for a variety of things:
He's a guaranteed WDC competitor with hunger and has matured significantly.
By attracting Verstappen, they seriously, but seriously weaken RedBull. Gasly is far below Max/Ham/Bot's level and Albon is still a rookie, and they're building around Max, nobody else.
LeClerc-Hamilton would be strong, so Mercedes needs the best combination to beat that. Ocon-Bottas imho is weaker than Verstappen-Bottas.
Including Alonso-Ocon. that is a recipy for disaster.

Yes, Verstappen is the number choice. But Alonso is still sharp, fit, and with plenty of fire in his belly. A year as Alonso's teammate will be hugely beneficial for Ocon. Other drivers in the Mercedes-AMG-HWA RACELAB orbit are either too old or nowhere near ready for F1.

[wunderkind]

People really need to stop talking about Alonso, no top 3 team wants him, not now , not tomorrow not ever.
Main reason, he's too political involved, or at least he wants to which he can't. RIP Alonso, he was a great driver.

Alonso will be fine as a replacement for Hamilton at Mercedes. He knows he cannot blame Mercedes if he doesn't win, pure and simple. Also, name me a driver on Hamilton's level who is available for 2020 or 2021. Red Bull will fight hard to keep Verstappen and Vettel is done (too error-prone). Danny Ric and Hulkenberg are not on the same level of performance.

Hamilton isn't leaving, so they don't need replacement. He only perhaps could go if Ferrari had a better car which is not the case, Hamilton will stay on to break Schumachers his records and best place to do is Mercedes.

I think so too, but Hamilton has said more than once that he wants to do "other things" before he's too old.