Ocon pleased with "very strong" progress across 2020 F1 season
Esteban Ocon feels his progress through his comeback Formula 1 season with Renault has been "very strong" after building his confidence following a year on the sidelines.
Ocon spent 2019 serving as Mercedes' F1 reserve driver after missing out on seats at Renault, McLaren and Racing Point, falling through the cracks in the driver market.
But Renault was swift to sign Ocon for 2020 to partner Daniel Ricciardo, allowing the Frenchman to return after just a year on the sidelines.
Ocon ended the year with 62 points, picking up his first F1 podium at the Sakhir Grand Prix as he finished second behind Sergio Perez.
After conceding earlier in the year that it took him to regain race sharpness, Ocon was pleased with his eventual progress when looking back on the season.
"Overall, the progress has been very strong," Ocon said.
"I'm pretty happy with how I've ended the season in terms of pace, performance, and how we are working with the team together. That is a lot stronger than how it has been to start with.
"I feel like I've gained performance, I've gained confidence in the car, and that's very good. We will make sure that we are on top of the details next year, and that we are ready.
"It's a bit of a shame that we missed on third place in the constructors' this weekend, but there's a lot of positives to take on board with this year, and things that we didn't do perfectly right as well.
"We will have a way of working for next year, but taking the positives and cancelling and erasing the negatives, we should be in a pretty strong position next year."
Ocon struggled to match teammate Daniel Ricciardo's form throughout the year, with his single qualifying victory in the dry coming at the season finale in Abu Dhabi.
Ricciardo ended the year 57 points clear of Ocon in the drivers' championship, leaving Renault fifth in the final constructors' standings after losing ground on McLaren and Racing Point in the final four races.
Ocon will be joined at Renault by two-time world champion Fernando Alonso for the 2021 season, with Ricciardo switching to midfield rival McLaren.
Related video
Previous article
Hamilton: 2020 F1 penalty slip-ups "won’t happen again"
Next article
Ferrari: Only 'bad situation' will compromise 2022 F1 focus
About this article
| Series | Formula 1 |
| Drivers | Esteban Ocon |
| Teams | Renault F1 Team |
| Author | Luke Smith |
F1 Fast Facts: Emilia Romagna Grand Prix
F1 Fast Facts: Emilia Romagna Grand Prix
Onboard Lap - Imola
Why Mercedes isn't confident it's really ahead of Red Bull at Imola
While Mercedes struck back against Red Bull by topping the times at Imola on Friday ahead of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, the overall picture remains incredibly close. Despite having a possible edge this weekend, the reigning Formula 1 world champion squad is not taking anything for granted...
What Mercedes must do to keep its F1 title challenge on track
Mercedes may find itself leading the drivers' and constructors' standings after Lewis Hamilton's victory in the Bahrain Grand Prix, but it is well aware that it came against the odds, with Red Bull clearly ahead. Here's what the Brackley team must do to avoid its crown slipping .
The double whammy that is defining Vettel’s F1 fate
It's been a tough start to Sebastian Vettel's Aston Martin F1 career, with a lack of pre-season testing mileage followed by an incident-packed Bahrain GP. But two key underlying factors mean a turnaround is no guarantee.
The themes to watch in F1's Imola return
Three weeks is a long time in Formula 1, but in the reshaped start to the 2021 season the teams head to Imola to pick things up after the frenetic Bahrain opener. Here's what to look out for and the developments to follow at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix
The 'new' F1 drivers who need to improve at Imola
After a pandemic-hit winter of seat-swapping, F1 kicked off its season with several new faces in town, other drivers adapting to new environments, and one making a much-anticipated comeback. Ben Anderson looks at who made the most of their opportunity and who needs to try harder…
The delay that quashed Aston Martin’s last F1 venture
Aston Martin’s only previous foray into Formula 1 in the late 1950s was a short-lived and unsuccessful affair. But it could have been so different, says Nigel Roebuck.
Verstappen exclusive: Why lack of titles won't hurt Red Bull's ace
Max Verstappen’s star quality in Formula 1 is clear. Now equipped with a Red Bull car that is, right now, the world title favourite and the experience to support his talent, could 2021 be the Dutchman’s year to topple the dominant force of Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes?
Is Formula 1 as good as it has ever been now?
For many, many years Formula 1 has strived to do and to be better on all fronts. With close competition, a growing fanbase, a stable political landscape and rules in place to encourage sustainability, 2021 is on course to provide an unexpected peak
