Ocon believes Force India can be competitive in Spa

Force India's Esteban Ocon thinks that Force India can be relatively competitive this weekend at the Belgium Grand Prix. The track is notorious for being high speed, a characteristic that should play into the strengths of the Silverstone based squad.

Spa-Francorchamps will bring some pleasant memories for Ocon, who made his debut at the circuit last year for Manor. Since then, he has stepped into a much faster car and is feeling fully refreshed after the summer break, ready to attack the second half of the year.

"I had a great summer holiday in the south of Spain. My batteries are fully recharged and I’m looking forward to getting back in the car. It’s now a year for me as a Formula One driver and the time has gone by really quickly. So I’m no longer a rookie!

"Spa is usually a good track for racing because it’s easier to overtake there compared to some other tracks. There’s also the famous Spa weather which brings unpredictability. I don’t mind if it rains because it could bring some more opportunities our way."

Despite being one of the most famous race circuits in the world, the Frenchman admits that Spa isn't one of his favourites. He arrives in Belgium on the back of five consecutive top ten finishes, which leaves him eighth in the driver standings.

"Spa is where I made my debut last year. It’s a great track, but it’s not necessarily one of my favourites. There are some special corners, especially through sector two, which has a nice rhythm. It’s a circuit where you have to be totally at one with the car because you need to be really committed through the high-speed corners.

"I think we can be competitive this weekend regardless of whether it’s dry or wet. The layout of the track should suit our car quite well. Everybody loves driving through Eau Rouge and it’s certainly the most famous part of the lap. In these cars it will be an amazing experience. Maybe the first lap of the race will be a bit of a challenge, but after that I think we should be able to take easily flat."

 

Fergal Walsh

Replies (1)

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  • Damn sure it will. Historically, Spa always suited them.

    • + 0
    • Aug 21 2017 - 23:46

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  • Team Haas F1
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  • Country FR
  • Date of b. Sep 17 1996 (29)
  • Place of b. Évreux, FR
  • Weight 66 kg
  • Length 1.86 m
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