Sahara Force India F1 Team driver Esteban Ocon says he is looking to secure points at every race during his first full season in F1.
The Frenchman joined the F1 action halfway through the year in 2016, replacing the outgoing Rio Haryanto at Manor Racing MRT, and he immediately acquitted himself well against team-mate and fellow Mercedes backed young driver Pascal Wehrlein, another name tipped for the top.
Now at Force India, a team who have shown themselves to be one of the most improved squads on the grid, Ocon is looking to jump straight into the action and be delivering top performances from the get go. The Frenchman has replaced longstanding driver Nico Hulkenberg at the Silverstone based squad, and will line up alongside Sergio Perez, who achieved his career best finish of seventh place in the standings in 2016.
The 20-year-old has a lot to live up to if he is to fill the German’s shoes, as well as hold his own against the Mexican, but Ocon is not phased in the slightest, and is ready for the challenge that awaits him in Melbourne and beyond, as he explained to the Official Formula One website recently.
“My personal target would be to score points at every race. That would be pretty cool. Melbourne is the place where everybody unleashes his machine, so we will see what the reality check is.
“I have a super feeling about the VJM10. The balance is right and the Mercedes engine is simply the best, also when it comes to reliability. So let’s see if I can trust my feelings.”
The recent pre-season test at the Circuit de Catalunya-Barcelona was a positive one for the Frenchman, where he was able to complete plenty of mileage behind the wheel of the VJM10 and become comfortable with the feel of his new machine.
Such great preparation has left Ocon feeling confident ahead of the first race of the season, and now the 20-year-old is just waiting for the racing to get underway, so the Silverstone based squad can get an understanding of where they stack up in comparison to their rivals.
