'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Esteban Ocon claimed he got support from 'the right people' post the on-track clash with Pierre Gasly in Monaco. Speaking to Motorsport, the Frenchman claimed that the team has moved on from the incident which he said was blown out of proportion on social media.
On the opening lap of the Monaco GP, Ocon clashed with his teammate Gasly after trying to overtake him on the inside. The duo had a tense relationship in the past and have clashed before. However, the former GP3 champion faced the heat from within his team and team principal Bruno Famin this time around. The team had considered a one-race ban for him after the incident.
The 27-year-old subsequently announced his departure from the team. In the aftermath of the incident, Ocon claimed he faced social media abuse which led to him calling out the harassment in a statement. He received support from the likes of Damon Hill and Williams team principal James Vowles, who had worked with him when he was a Mercedes junior.
Confirming the support from Vowles after the Monaco incident, Esteban Ocon said (via Motorsport):
“Of course, it's good to have support from the right people. There's been a lot of noise, which is never a nice thing. When there's noise left to right, it's always that there is something big that has happened. And it took for sure too much proportion, especially on social media, which is what Damon Hill said.”
“He said, 'I'm glad I didn't drive in the social media days'. That's basically what he said. Back then, yes, you would have had a conversation with the press and then you come back to the next race, but that's why I made the social media statement that I made - and it was important to raise my voice at the time that I did. There's not much more to say, you know, on that side. Things that have happened have passed, and yeah, we move on.”
Esteban Ocon takes ownership of the clash with Pierre Gasly in the Monaco GP
Esteban Ocon stated in the same interview that he made a mistake and misjudged the corner in Monaco where he clashed with Pierre Gasly. The Alpine driver said he accepted the responsibility and apologized to his team for the incident.
Speaking about the incident in Monaco, Ocon said:
“I did a mistake on the exit of the corner. I didn't leave enough space on the exit. But you know, the move early on was not too bad. It was the exit that was too tight. And that's where I misjudged the gap. And unfortunately, we collided - and I raised my hand to the team, and apologized to the team, but from there, it should have stopped. But unfortunately, it didn't. But things have moved on since then. People have calmed down on social media. That's good.”
Esteban Ocon will be joining Haas for the 2025 season and beyond after being with Alpine since 2020. The Frenchman has scored five points this season and has recently been overtaken by Gasly, who has now scored six points. However, the former has beaten and outperformed the latter for a majority of the races this season.
Alpine is currently eighth in the standings but has been in the news for the internal changes within their team. Some of the organizational changes include Oliver Oakes replacing Famin as a team principal and former Renault team boss Flavio Briatore returning in the capacity of an advisor.
