F1 News, Reports and Race Results

Ocon happy with strong race but questions strategy

Esteban Ocon contributed nicely to Force India's double points finish in Austria, achieving in the process his eighth points finish of the season.

The Frenchman pretty much shadowed team mate Sergio Perez early on, before falling back a bit after the pit stop rotations and fending off a charge from Williams' Felipe Massa. 

"I'm pleased with the points we’ve scored today and it was a strong race for the team," said Ocon.

"I made a good start and gained a couple of positions, but I was behind Lewis [Hamilton] going into Turn 3 and got squeezed, which meant I had to ease off and lost momentum.

"Then it was just a case of keeping my head down and being consistent with my lap times.

In hindsight, Ocon had a few objections about the team's strategy, the timing of which put him within Massa's reach.

"I don’t think we went the right way with the strategy because I lost a lot of time to Massa after my stop and we just need to review things and see if we could have done anything differently.

"It’s not been the easiest of weekends for us, but we’ve worked hard and it’s satisfying to come away with good points even when things are not going perfectly.

"I think we showed our strength as a team."

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.

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