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Ocon excited ahead of first taste of Monaco

Esteban Ocon is just days away from getting his first taste of racing on the iconic streets of Monaco. And he can hardly wait to get started.

"Driving in Monaco is going to be a new experience for me," said the Force India driver this week. "I’ve never raced there before.

"I used to come and watch the Formula 1 races when I was young, but I never had the opportunity to race there.

"It’s strange, because it’s such a famous lap and I know it so well in my head," he added. "But it’s always a different experience when you drive a track for real."

The 20-year-old, who hails from northern France, has done all he can to prepare fear the race short of actually getting out on track.

Esteban Ocon gives F1i his Spanish GP summary

“To get ready for Monaco I’ve spent a lot of time in the simulator at our factory," he said. "But I still have a lot to learn during the practice sessions on Thursday.

"It’s a case of taking a step-by-step approach and getting to the limit gently. I normally enjoy street circuits, and I am sure I can get up-to-speed quickly.

“This year Monaco is the closest thing I have to a home Grand Prix because it’s next door to France," he pointed out. "It’s a very special place and I always feel a sense of history when I go there.

"The city is forever linked with Formula 1 and it’s currenly the number one race of the year.

"For the drivers it gives a big rush of adrenaline," he said. "It’s the same for the fans watching. Everybody knows it’s a big challenge.”

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Andrew Lewin

Andrew first became a fan of Formula 1 during the time when Michael Schumacher and Damon Hill were stepping into the limelight after the era of Alain Prost, Nigel Mansell and Aryton Senna. He's been addicted ever since, and has been writing about the sport now for nearly a quarter of a century for a number of online news sites. He's also written professionally about GP2 (now Formula 2), GP3, IndyCar, World Rally Championship, MotoGP and NASCAR. In his other professional life, Andrew is a freelance writer, social media consultant, web developer/programmer, and digital specialist in the fields of accessibility, usability, IA, online communities and public sector procurement. He worked for many years in magazine production at Bauer Media, and for over a decade he was part of the digital media team at the UK government's communications department. Born and raised in Essex, Andrew currently lives and works in south-west London.