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Formula 1’s worst-kept secret is that it is a sport primarily played by rich and well-to-do drivers, but every once in a while, someone like Esteban Ocon, a Frenchman from a modest background, defies big money to inspire aspiring drivers around the world.
And last Sunday, Ocon who drives for Alpine, defied the odds again as he took his maiden F1 victory at the Hungarian Grand Prix, ahead of Sebastian Vettel (Aston Martin) who was disqualified due to fuel sample issues, and seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes).
“It’s unbelievable and it definitely has not sunk in yet!” Ocon said excitedly after the race.
“What a moment! It was a crazy race from the very start to the end. There were a lot of decisions to make and the team executed that really well along with the crew who did a mega pit-stop, which was crucial to staying in front of Sebastian (Vettel).
“I was happy to manage the pace as best as possible at the front and it all worked out well today.”
Born in Évreux, France to Sabrine Khelfane and Laurent Ocon, a mechanic, Ocon started his motorsport journey at the age of four during a vacation when he tried his hand at go-karting, and was immediately unstoppable.
“My dad had to stop me as I was just not stopping!” he wrote in a Formula 1 column.
“At Christmas that year, I got my first baby kart, which I drove at my house and that’s how it all started. Naturally, we began racing. I don’t have that old kart anymore – my first kart – my dad sold everything as we needed the money to buy the next kart up.”
At the age of eight, in 2004, things in karting starting to heat up, when Ocon, then mini-kart champion in the north of France went up against a kid named Charles Leclerc, champion in south France, and current Ferrari driver.
“I had heard of Charles but knew very little about him,” Ocon added.
“There was the French Cup in Magny Cours where all the regions of France were meeting. Charles and I were fighting in the heats. I won, then he won and so on – we had some big battles.
“In the final, it was Charles and I fighting for the lead. I had the inside line at the last corner on the last lap and we touched. Charles didn’t finish as he was in the tyre barrier and I managed to finish fifth or sixth.
“Anthoine Hubert actually went on to win that race. I remember Charles and I were both crying, and our parents were together to try and make us happy again, but it was impossible as we were bad losers!”
The four Frenchman – Leclerc, Hubert, Ocon and Pierre Gasly – developed a kinship early on and seemed destined to make it to the top tier. Hubert’s dream was sadly cut short in 2019 when he died after a crash in 2019 during his Formula 2 race.
On Sunday, Ocon finished ahead of Hamilton, Carlos Sainz (Ferrari), Fernando Alonso (Alpine), Pierre Gasly (AlphaTauri), Yuki Tsunoda (AlphaTauri), Nicholas Latifi (Williams), George Russell (Williams) and Max Verstappen (Red Bull).
Ocon’s victory was a win not just for his team and his country – but one that showed the world that an everyman can still stand tall and summit the top of motorsport – even if it takes a massive collision at Turn 1 to get there.
