SM
Friday, November 8
Upcoming predictions and previews

Ocon 'not disappointed' to miss Mercedes seat

:Headline: Ocon 'not disappointed' to miss Mercedes seat: ID:383288: from db_amp
Esteban Ocon insists he is not "disappointed" to be returning to F1 in 2020 with Renault rather than Mercedes.

Esteban Ocon insists he is not "disappointed" to be returning to F1 in 2020 with Renault rather than Mercedes.

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff considered replacing Valtteri Bottas with 2019 reserve Ocon for next year, after the Frenchman sat out this year following his Force India demise.

Asked if he is disappointed that his eventual race return will now be with Renault, Ocon insisted: "Not at all.

"I'm with a French team that has big ambitions to return to the top level in a few years, so clearly it is not at all a disappointment. Rather, it's a relief," he told RMC.

However, team officials are warning that Renault's focus next year will clearly be on 2021, meaning that 2020 could be yet another interim season.

"Renault's ambitions for 2020 will be to do better than this year," Ocon, 23, said.

"This year we clearly underperformed, so the team wants to do much better than that. It is not the ambition to be fifth.

"From there, we will have to progress, developing the car and getting closer to the three big teams.

"My personal goal is to be on the podium during the season. I think that if we can do that, it will mean we have taken a big step forward."

Ocon got his first taste of his new career in a yellow car with two days at the post-season Abu Dhabi test recently.

"Alan Permane told me that at no time did he have the impression that Esteban had not taken part in the past season," team boss Cyril Abiteboul told Auto Hebdo.

"So there is nothing particular to report, except the satisfaction of being able to do with Esteban what we could not do with Daniel (Ricciardo) last year because Red Bull did not allow it," he said.

"Daniel's integration to the team suffered a little because of that, so clearly we have saved time this time."

amp_article__383288 : Database Data restored...  : 
last updated article - 2019-12-18 07:31:48:
html db last update - 2019-12-18 07:31:48 :

ex - 7200 : read : read cache amp html

Click here for more stories about Esteban Ocon

Click here for more stories about Mercedes

Share this article now:
Recommended Next on SM
Premier League Table
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool108111961325
2Manchester CityMan City1072121111023
3Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest10541147719
4Chelsea105322012818
5Arsenal105321711618
6Aston Villa105321715218
7Tottenham HotspurSpurs1051422111116
8Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton104421714316
9Fulham104331413115
10Bournemouth104331312115
11Newcastle UnitedNewcastle104331010015
12Brentford104151920-113
13Manchester UnitedMan Utd10334912-312
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham103251319-611
15Leicester CityLeicester102441418-410
16Everton102351017-79
17Crystal Palace10145813-57
18Ipswich TownIpswich100551021-115
19Southampton10118719-124
20Wolverhampton WanderersWolves100371427-133
Scroll for more - Tap for full version


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
AL
Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!

Loading ...

Failed to load data.



. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .