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Alpine driver Esteban Ocon feels he can compete with Max Verstappen in a competitive car.
The French driver grew up competing Verstappen and famously bested him in the F3 championship before the latter graduated to F1. Since then, while Verstappen has been part of a championship-winning outfit in Red Bull, Ocon drives for Alpine, a midfield challenger.
The French driver did, however, score his first F1 win last season in Hungary and feels he can be competitive against Verstappen in a comparable machinery.
In an interview with Dutch publication NOS, Ocon was asked if he could be competitive against Verstappen, to which the Alpine driver replied:
"I am convinced of that, and I have to (be). If you don't believe in yourself, you are already hopeless in this sport. I have a contract until the end of 2024, and this team is going to do everything it can to close the gap to the top."
He continued:
"I have confidence in that and am fully committed. I'm not driving here to compete, but I'm growing every weekend. Moreover, the gaps between the teams will become smaller and smaller in the coming years."
The two drivers had a fractious relationship when growing up, but Ocon says that things are much better now, and they have a lot of respect for each other. Ocon said:
"We get along fine now and have a lot of respect for each other. I wish him all the best. He is simply a super talent now. Max is always and everywhere competitive and has been for years. I've known it since I was a kid. Ever since karting, he dominated championships. After that, he was fast in every car he was in."
Verstappen won his second-straight world championship this season, racking up a record 15 wins, while Ocon finished P8 in the final driver standings.
Max Verstappen's world titles are richly deserved - Esteban Ocon
Esteban Ocon commended Max Verstappen on his championship win and said that it was richly deserved. He also touted the Red Bull driver to be one of the greats of the sport. He said:
"His world titles are richly deserved. Last year, I already thought so and this year he is putting in a top season. I'm proud that a driver I grew up with is emerging like this. Max is a shining representative of my generation. He is one of the greats of this sport."
Esteban Ocon outscored his illustrious teammate Fernando Alonso by 11 points.
