Esteban Ocon

Biography of F1 driver Esteban Ocon

Esteban Ocon has consistently embraced challenges since entering the Formula 1 scene with Manor in 2016.

Even during his promising karting days, his family made significant sacrifices by selling their house and temporarily pausing their jobs to support his racing career. They lived in a caravan, traveling from one circuit to another.

This determination is evident in Ocon's Formula 1 journey, where the French driver has fought to maintain his position on the grid. Explore all the essential details about Esteban Ocon.

Ocon's early career

In 2006, Ocon began his karting journey with an eighth-place finish in the French Minime Championship, a title he won the following year. Further triumphs followed as he claimed the French Cadet Championship in 2008 and the French KF3 title in 2011, concluding his karting career before transitioning to car racing.

In 2012, Ocon made his foray into single-seaters, competing in the Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 and securing a third-place finish the following season. His accomplishments soared as he secured victory in the FIA European Formula 3 Championship with Prema in 2014 and the GP3 Series title with ART Grand Prix the subsequent year.

While serving as a reserve driver for Renault in 2016, Ocon also participated in the first 10 races of the 2016 DTM season with Mercedes-Benz.

Start of F1 career with Mercedes and Manor

Ocon's first experience with an F1 car was in October 2014, when he took part in a two-day test for Lotus. His performance resulted in the team giving him a grand prix weekend debut with a run in the first practice session for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix a month later.

Before winning the GP3 title, it was announced that Ocon had become a Mercedes Junior driver, while in February 2016, he became the reserve driver for Renault.

After taking part in four Friday practice sessions for the team, Ocon joined Manor Racing after they dropped Rio Haryanto due to his sponsors failing to meet their contractual obligations.

The Frenchman drove alongside Pascal Wehrlein for the remainder of the season, making his debut at the Belgian Grand Prix and finishing 16th. His best result was in Brazil, when he finished 12th after falling out of the points on the final lap.

Move to Force India

Ocon signed for Force India in November 2016, partnering Sergio Perez for the 2017 F1 season, and for the most part, it was a very productive season as he scored points in 18 of the 20 races, with highs of fifth in Spain and Mexico.

His performances, however, were overshadowed by his growing rivalry with Perez, as the two were often involved in incidents on-track, notably when they collided in the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. Perez retired, and Ocon suffered a puncture, although he was able to continue and finish sixth.

The two again came together at the Belgian GP when Ocon was squeezed into the wall leading up to Eau Rouge. As in Azerbaijan, Perez retired whilst the Frenchman continued to finish ninth. This prompted team owner Vijay Mallya to state that team orders would be enforced.

A run of 27 consecutive finishes from the start of his career ended at the Brazilian Grand Prix after colliding with Romain Grosjean on the first lap. In the end, Ocon finished his first full F1 season eighth in the drivers' championship on 87 points.

With the same driver pairing in place for the following season, it proved to be a dramatic one, on and off track, notably when, after the Hungarian Grand Prix, the team faced liquidation by HM Revenue and Customs. 

It was eventually saved by a group of creditors, including Perez, who took legal action and put it into administration, saving it from collapse, along with the jobs of the employees.

The team was purchased by a consortium led by Lawrence Stroll, father of the then-Williams driver Lance, and was renamed Racing Point.

The rivalry between Perez and Ocon then reappeared in Singapore, as the two collided on the first lap, sending the Frenchman crashing into the wall and out of the race. The team banned them from racing one another after what it considered an "unacceptable" collision.

After both cars were disqualified from the United States GP for exceeding fuel flow limits, Ocon was involved in more controversy in Brazil, where he collided with race leader Max Verstappen as he attempted to unlap himself.

Ocon was handed a 10-second penalty for his role in the incident. After the race, Verstappen approached Ocon in person and was seen to push him, resulting in the Red Bull driver being summoned by the FIA and ordered to take part in two days of public service for making physical contact.

For 2019, Stroll teamed up with Perez, prompting Ocon to join Mercedes as its reserve driver. He did not participate in any grands prix that year before it was announced he would be joining Renault for 2020.

Move to Renault

Ocon signed a two-year contract with Renault, taking Nico Hulkenberg's seat alongside Daniel Ricciardo. In the Covid-hit year, he finished eighth on his debut in Austria.

What followed was a rollercoaster campaign of points finishes and retirements before he secured his first F1 podium with second in Sakhir, behind, ironically, former team-mate Perez. It was Renault's best result since 2010.

Ocon remained with the team for 2021, with Renault rebranded as Alpine, while Ricciardo left for McLaren, with the Australian replaced by two-time champion Fernando Alonso.

It proved to be another up-and-down year. Of his 14 points finishes, on six occasions he finished ninth, and then there was the anomaly of what, to this day, remains his only grand prix victory in Hungary.

After a chaotic opening lap, in which several cars ahead were either eliminated or left with damage due to a first-corner incident, Ocon was able to surge through from eighth on the grid to second, eventually taking the lead when Lewis Hamilton pitted for dry tyres one lap later than the rest of the field.

Ocon was able to stay in front for the rest of the race, a result that helped Alpine finish fifth in the constructors' championship, whilst he was 11th in the drivers' standings, one position and seven points behind Alonso.

Ocon faced challenges in replicating his previous successes with Alpine and securing a podium under the 'new era' regulations introduced in 2022. The dynamic between Ocon and Alonso was also strained, evident in their on-track clashes on multiple occasions.

The tensions reached a peak in Brazil, where they collided during the sprint race. Despite the conflict, they still managed to secure Alpine fourth in the constructors' championship.

Rival team-mates

In 2023, Ocon was joined by fellow Frenchman Pierre Gasly, a surprising decision given the renowned animosity between them stemming from their junior careers, yet they insisted their partnership would work.

Following a difficult start to the season for Ocon, he delivered a stunning third in the Monaco GP. It was the first time a French driver had finished on the podium in the Principality since Olivier Panis in 1996.

It proved to be the overwhelming highlight of a tough campaign, which included a collision with Gasly in Hungary on lap one, albeit the duo were innocent victims as part of a domino effect sparked by Zhou Guanyu hitting Daniel Ricciardo.

Overall, there were six retirements throughout a season which saw Ocon finish a lowly 12th in the standings, one place and four points behind Gasly.

The following year proved to be a disaster for Ocon. Heading into the Monaco GP, after collecting just one point from the first seven races, his old rivalry with Gasly reared its ugly head as he crashed into his compatriot on a chaotic opening lap, leading to his retirement and a five-place grid penalty for the next race in Canada.

A week later, the team announced Ocon would be leaving at the end of the season, which at least had one highlight when he finished second in a rain-hit São Paulo Grand Prix.

Two races later, and after an opening-lap collision again, this time with Nico Hulkenberg and Franco Colapinto, he was swiftly axed for the final race in Abu Dhabi, due also to his joining Haas for 2025 after signing a multi-year deal in July.

A switch to Haas

With the start of a new chapter in Ocon's career, his maiden year with Haas was far from easy, but he was at least settled.

Results were difficult to come by given the intensity of the midfield battle, and with the team swiftly switching focus to the major regulations changes for 2026.

Ocon scored points in nine of the 24 races, with the pick being his fifth place in the Chinese GP, en route to finishing 15th in the drivers' championship, two places and three points behind rookie team-mate Oliver Bearman.

Ocon and Bearman will again form the Haas driver line-up in 2026.