Esteban Ocon has opened up about the wave of support he received following the controversial collision with his Alpine teammate, Pierre Gasly, at the Monaco Grand Prix.
The incident occurred on the opening lap when Ocon attempted an inside overtaking maneuver on Gasly at Portier. This move led to both drivers tangling, causing Ocon to retire from the race and leaving Gasly’s car severely damaged. The aftermath saw Ocon facing sharp criticism from then-team principal Bruno Famin. It was subsequently announced that Ocon would be leaving Alpine at the end of the season, with Haas confirming him for the next term.
There were even threats of suspension for the Canadian Grand Prix, although these threats never materialized. Social media was ablaze with reactions, prompting Ocon to release a statement addressing the backlash. Notably, Williams team principal James Vowles, who had worked closely with Ocon during his junior career, reached out with a supportive phone call. Speaking on this, Ocon said, “Of course, it’s good, you know, to have support from the right people. There’s been a lot of noise, which is never a nice thing.”
Ocon highlighted the disproportionate reaction on social media, echoing the sentiments of Damon Hill who lamented the pressures contemporary drivers face compared to the past. Ocon elaborated, “He said, ‘I’m glad I didn’t drive in the social media days.’ That’s basically what he said. Back then, yes, you would have had a conversation with the press and then you come back to the next race, but that’s why I made the social media statement that I made – and it was important to raise my voice at the time that I did.”
Accepting responsibility for the incident, Ocon admitted, “I did a mistake on the exit of the corner. I didn’t leave enough space on the exit. But you know, the move early on was not too bad. It was the exit that was too tight. And yeah, that’s where I misjudged the gap.” He expressed regret over the collision and noted that he had immediately apologized to the team. However, he lamented that the situation escalated beyond what he considered reasonable.
Since then, the situation has calmed, particularly on social media. Ocon emphasized, “There’s not much more to say, you know, on that side. Things that have happened have passed, and yeah, we move on.”
While the controversy surrounding the Monaco Grand Prix collision stirred significant reactions, Esteban Ocon appears to have navigated the storm with the support of key figures in the racing community, highlighting the complex dynamics of modern motorsport.
