Subscribe

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Motorsport prime

Discover premium content
Subscribe

Edition

Australia

Third-placed starter Ocon declares: “I want my podium”

Esteban Ocon believes he can turn his third position on the Italian Grand Prix starting grid into his first-ever F1 podium finish on Sunday.

Esteban Ocon, Force India F1 VJM10

Esteban Ocon, Force India F1 VJM10

Charles Coates / Motorsport Images

Esteban Ocon, Sahara Force India VJM10
Esteban Ocon, Sahara Force India F1
Esteban Ocon, Sahara Force India VJM10
Esteban Ocon, Sahara Force India VJM10
Esteban Ocon, Sahara Force India F1

Ocon qualified fifth fastest in the wet qualifying session at Monza on Saturday, but is elevated to third due to Red Bull pairing Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo taking grid penalties.

Ocon only just squeezed into Q3, beating his teammate Sergio Perez by 0.002s, but revelled in the wetter top-10 shootout.

“It’s amazing,” said Ocon. “That’s what the team deserves, they work so hard on every aspect. To get that P3 is something amazing. 

“The car was brilliant today, a perfect balance, and I managed to push it to the limit. Now we have to keep P3 in the race – I want my podium! 

“I adjusted the car [for the conditions] but it will work in the dry like it did on Friday, so starting from there we have a big opportunity ahead and we need to keep our head down to get it.”

The 20-year-old Frenchman, whose best finish so far has been fifth in Barcelona, said he enjoyed the wet conditions of qualifying: “I've been growing up with the rain and it's fantastic to see that in a Formula 1 car I can still manage to do good stuff. 

“The team have put so much effort to get those results, and now we start third. I will go give them a big hug right now!”

Be part of Motorsport community

Join the conversation
Previous article From F1 Racing: McLaren's race to stay on Brand
Next article Vettel puzzled by Ferrari's qualifying slump

Top Comments

There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Motorsport prime

Discover premium content
Subscribe

Edition

Australia